We describe the scientific motivations, the mission concept and the instrumentation of SPACE, a class-M mission proposed for concept study at the first call of the ESA Cosmic-Vision 2015-2025 planning cycle. SPACE aims to produce the largest three-dimensional evolutionary map of the Universe over the past 10 billion years by taking near-IR spectra and measuring redshifts for more than half a billion galaxies at 0 < z < 2 down to AB ∼ 23 over 3π sr of the sky. In addition, SPACE will also target a smaller sky field, performing a deep spectroscopic survey of millions of galaxies to AB ∼ 26 and at 2 < z < 10+. These goals are unreachable with ground-based observations due to the ≈500 times higher sky background (see e.g. Aldering, LBNL report number LBNL-51157, 2001). To achieve the main science objectives, SPACE will use a 1.5 m diameter RitcheyChretien telescope equipped with a set of arrays of Digital Micro-mirror Devices covering a total field of view of 0.4 deg 2 , and will perform large-multiplexing multi-object spectroscopy (e.g. ≈6000 targets per pointing) at a spectral resolution of R∼400 as well as diffraction-limited imaging with continuous coverage from Owing to the depth, redshift range, volume coverage and quality of its spectra, SPACE will reveal with unique sensitivity most of the fundamental cosmological signatures, including the power spectrum of density fluctuations and its turnover. SPACE will also place high accuracy constraints on the dark energy equation of state parameter and its evolution by measuring the baryonic acoustic oscillations imprinted when matter and radiation decoupled, the distanceluminosity relation of cosmological supernovae, the evolution of the cosmic expansion rate, the growth rate of cosmic large-scale structure, and high-z galaxy clusters. The datasets from the SPACE mission will represent a long lasting legacy for the whole astronomical community whose data will be mined for many years to come. Keywords

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(ASU), initiated a research effort in August 2010 under the support of the NASA Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research (LASER) program. In order to fulfill the objectives of this grant, the UMd Space Systems Laboratory (SSL) Human Systems team has been continuing its ongoing development of advanced controls and displays for planetary surface EVA. In addition to advanced avionics, two space suit simulators have been designed and built with the purpose of serving as test beds to aid the evaluation of human-robot cooperative surface operations, as well as providing novel additional capabilities to the suited astronaut. The space suit simulators, dubbed MX-A ("Alpha") and MX-B ("Bravo"), attempt to emulate the constraints typical of a pressurized suit in an unpressurized environment. By reducing the system complexity, support equipment overhead, and required operating protocols, we are able to open access to a wider range of test subjects; this allows faster, more accessible, and more conclusive experimental procedures. In this paper we will describe in detail the design and assembly process of these two suit simulators, with specific focus on avionics and advanced controls and displays. Field tests under this program focus on the use of the suit simulators and an astronaut support rover previously built in collaboration between UMd and ASU. For the current test cycle, several rover control interfaces were prototyped and tested, including speech recognition and synthesis, head tracking, gestural control, and suit-integrated joystick teleoperation. This paper documents the experimental evaluation process adopted in this study to compare all the above interfaces, and presents experimental results and conclusions.