Science and engineering perspectives came together at the first Planetary Lake Lander Project Workshop, held at NASA Ames Research Center on May 25, 2011. Local collaborators met at the Intelligent Robotics Group facility with international co-investigators joining via Webex telecon.

Presentations during the morning session were devoted to the science investigations, including: remote atmosphere and climate, remote and in situ visible and multispectral signatures, in situ meteorology and hydrology, physical limnology, primary productivity and biogeochemical cycling, organics inventory, metabolic activity, and carbon cycle and ecosystem.

Scientists particularly focused on critical observations and data collection rates that would have to be achieved by the Lake Lander to meet the science goals.

In the afternoon, the engineering team presented possible options for the Lake Lander configuration and science payload, as well as the structure of the Ground Data System (GDS). The GDS will receive data from the probe in Chile and will allow the distribution and display of geospatially tagged data to a dispersed science team through a web browser and Google Earth interface, including remotely sensed data, lake lander sensor data, ground based images, field notes, and map overlays. It will also provide science tools for in situ science during field deployments, with scientists getting direct access to the GDS database and displays in the field.

The final discussion focused on the architecture of the Adaptive System (Lakewatch) and the data that will be necessary to collect in the coming months to develop Lake Lander’s ability to be aware of its environment and its changes in an adaptive way. The first field deployment is planned for mid-November 2011. Lake Lander will remain three months on the lake in Year 1 and brought back to the US for fine-tuning. Starting Year 2, it will remain continuously on the lake for the duration of the project.