Visualization and High Speed Research Networks for Space Exploration and Collaboration

Estelle Dodson, Lockheed Martin, NASA Ames ProgramRatko Jagodic, Electronic Visualization LaboratoryUniversity of Illinois at Chicago

First Image from the Opportunity Mars Exploration Rover

Initial Navcam image prior to mast deployment showing the bedrock outcrop in Eagle Crater

Portion of Opportunity’s “Mission Success” Pancam Panorama, Approximate Color, Sol 2-3

Outcrop in Eagle Crater

Opportunity Navcam image looking back at Eagle Crater – a 22 meter diameter, 3 meter deep crater.

outcropbounce marks

tracks

trench

Eagle CraterEagle Crater

Sol 14 Layering and In-PlaceSol 14 Layering and In-PlaceSpherulesSpherules

False color Pancam image of outcrop at Eagle Crater

7 cm

Last Chance Outcrop

Cross Beds

1 cm

MI Mosaic on Last Chance With Cross Beds

Sol 29 McKittrick Microscopic Imager DataSol 29 McKittrick Microscopic Imager Data

Spherules

(Hematite concretions)

MER Team Planning Last Chance Campaign

20 February 2004 on Sol 27 planning MI in El Capitan area of Eagle Crater. Panorama on the table has been printed approximately life size. (image: by W. Clancey)

MER Team Planning Last Chance Campaign

20 February 2004 on Sol 27 planning MI in El Capitan area of Eagle Crater. Panorama on the table has been printed approximately life size. (image: by W. Clancey)

MER Team Planning Last Chance Campaign

20 February 2004 on Sol 27 planning MI in El Capitan area of Eagle Crater. Panorama on the table has been printed approximately life size. (image: by W. Clancey)

MER Team Planning Last Chance Campaign

20 February 2004 on Sol 27 planning MI in El Capitan area of Eagle Crater. Panorama on the table has been printed approximately life size. (image: by W. Clancey)

Phoenix Lander

Phoenix Lander Team at University of Arizona

NASA Ames Interactive 3D Terrain Visualization, Simulation, and Analysis – Mercator

Mercator – Antares adaptation for Mars Science Laboratory Mission

Mercator – capabilities

• Interactive 3D large scale terrain & environment visualization

• Robotic simulation

• Interactive lighting simulation (shadows)

• Multispectral overlays with transparency

• Scene interrogation tools (measurement)

• Science operations planning (targets, waypoints)

Note that the above is a log plot

Massive Solar Flare Observed June 7, 2011, by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)

SDO downloads ~1.5 TB/day compressed5 TB/day uncompressed

Distributed Research Institutes: NAI and NLSI

Supercomputing follows similar models

The Future

Ratko Jagodic

Electronic Visualization Laboratory

University of Illinois at Chicago

As we have seen, NASA needs are:• Collocated and remote collaboration

• Large and high-resolution data analysis and problem solving

• Access to remote supercomputing resources

• The OptIPuter is a NSF Information Technology Research project to examine a new model of computing whereby ultra high speed networks form the backplane of a planetary scale computer.

• The projects partners include UCSD, UIC, NU, SDSU, TAMU, UCI, UIUC/NCSA, USC/ISI; affiliate partners are USGS EROS Data Center, NASA, UvA, SARA (Netherlands), KISTI (Korea), AIST (Japan)

• Optiputer research focuses on developing technology to enable the real time collaboration and visualization of very large data-sets in the service of science - in particular earth sciences and the biosciences

www.optiputer.net

StorageCluster

ComputeCluster

ComputeCluster

RemoteInstrument(s)

End User

StorageCluster

End User

HDVideoconferencing

International Gigabit Networks - GLIF

Founding Partners: UIC (EVL), Northwestern and Argonne National Laboratory

Wall Displays for Data-Intensive Problems• Problems keep increasing in scale and complexity, requiring

interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists

• Limited human cognition - desktop systems not suitable anymore

• Wall display benefits:

– Large size:

• Promotes physical navigation

• Enables collaboration

– High resolution

• Reduces context switching (see bigger picture)

• Improves spatial performance

• How to use wall displays as ”lenses” to collaboratively visualize large

high-resolution data in the distributed Optiputer model?

Scalable Adaptive Graphics Environment (SAGE)

• Turns any tiled-display into a single desktop• Multiple applications

– Streamed remotely over high-speed networks

• Application windows can be freely moved and resized• Works with pixels: the lowest common denominator for

all visual information• Allows scientists to use remote storage, visualization

and compute resources to collaboratively analyze multiple pieces of data

Use Cases - Financial Analysis• Desktop OS does not scale to wall displays• Juxtaposition of information allows us to see the “bigger picture”

Use Cases – NASA’s ENDURANCE Project• Wall displays provide focus AND context• Groups can analyze multiple heterogeneous pieces of data…

Use Cases – NASA’s ENDURANCE Project…or a single high-resolution dataset

Use Cases – Visual Analytics Class• 80% students felt they learned more in this space• Externalized students memory

Use Cases – Collaborative Analysis• Wall displays foster collaboration• Allow experimentation with the data, providing new insights

See the future today…the exhibit hall!

Thank Youwww.sagecommons.org

www.optiputer.net

www.glif.is

Visualization

High Performance Computing

AdvancedNetworks

The Future of Scientific Collaboration