New gully systems similar in form, scale, and context to those reported on Mars were identified a few miles north of Haughton Crater and were reconnoitered by land. The gullies on Devon Island seem to result from snow and ice melt rather than groundwater seepage or ground ice melting (prevailing hypotheses for gullies on Mars), suggesting that an origin by snow or melting surface ice should be considered among the possibilities for the martian gullies. New sites of impact-induced hydrothermal activity (now extinct) were also found at Haughton and mapped this summer by graduate student Gordon "Oz" Osinski of the University of New Brunswick.

We continued the characterization of microbial life at Haughton, with investigations led by HMP chief biologist Charlie Cockell of the SETI Institute. Studies this year focused on lithic communities (colonies of microorganisms associated with rocks) and the effects of the Arctics daily dose of ultraviolet radiation. In addition, graduate student Darlene Lim of the University of Toronto completed surveys of the sedimentary record in Arctic lakes at and near Haughton. Fossilized diatoms contained in lakebeds are used to retrace the evolution of past climates in the Arctic.

Studies to help plan the future exploration of Mars by robots and humans also made strides this summer. In a research effort led by the NASA Ames Research Center with participation from The Planetary Society, we acquired aerial video images of Devon Island over a variety of terrain types using a small UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle). The video data will help design vision-based autonomous flight software that may be used on future Mars robotic aircraft.

New broadband internet-style communications and computing technologies for Mars exploration were also tested in research led by Stephen Braham of Simon Fraser University (SFU) with support from the Canadian Space Agency. The system successfully supported a new HORSE (Human Operated Robotic Science Evaluation) Experiment led by Geoffrey Briggs and Brian Glass of NASA Ames. HORSE is a study of the productivity of remote interactions between the field (where robotic and human explorations are conducted) and a science operations facility "on Earth," established at NASA Ames and equipped with virtual reality displays. Meanwhile, the Hamilton-Sundstrand aerospace company, NASA Ames, SFU, and the SETI Institute continued tests, with support provided in part by the National Space Society, of new field information systems for advanced space and planetary exploration EVA (extravehicular activity).

Finally, through the heroic efforts of many, in particular Keith Cowing and Marc Boucher of SpaceRef Interactive, the Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse was established at the HMP Base Camp. Donated to the SETI Institute by SpaceRef, the facility will serve as 1) a test bed for creating autonomous environmental monitoring and control capabilities for future plant-based life support systems, 2) a tool for investigating the operational impact of tending to a greenhouse on a human mission to Mars, and 3) a controlled experiment in planetary protection studies for the investigation of forward and backward contamination issues.

A human journey to Mars will eventually require much more work in the above areas and in many more. But one step at a time, summer after summer, invaluable experience is being gained on the NASA HMP in areas for which there is no substitute for long-term, field-based experience. As we continue to debrief on the lessons and results of HMP-2002, preparations for HMP-2003 are already underway.