LAVA TUBE CAVES OFFER PROTECTION FROM SURFACE HAZARDS AND MAY BE AMONG THE FEW HUMAN- OR ROBOT- ACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS ON OTHER PLANETS THAT COULD PRESERVE EVIDENCE OF MICROBIAL LIFE. THEY YIELD ACCESS TO THE SUBSURFACE AND ARE NATURAL SETTINGS WHERE BIOLOGY IS PROTECTED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL EXTREMES (SURFACE RADIATION THERMAL VARIATIONS) GEOLOGIC HISTORY IS EXPOSED AND PRESERVED AND SUBSURFACE RESOURCES (H20 LIQUID AND SOLID) MAY BE ACCESSIBLE. IT IS AN AUSTERE ENVIRONMENT FOR MICROBIAL LIFE WITH DRAMATIC CHANGES IN LIGHT MOVING INWARD FROM THE CAVE ENTRANCE. WE WILL CONDUCT TERRESTRIAL FIELD CAMPAIGNS IN WHICH WE COMPARE GROUND-TRUTH DATA COLLECTED FROM THE CAVE ENVIRONMENTS WITH MEASUREMENTS CONDUCTED USING A ROVER SCIENCE PLATFORM. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL BE COMBINED WITH INPUT FROM A REMOTELY LOCATED MISSION TEAM WHO WILL PROCESS OPERATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC DATA COLLECTED BY THE ROVER AND ITS PAYLOAD. THIS WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST THE PERFORMANCE AND CAPABILITIES OF THE ROBOTIC SYSTEM UNDER OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS AND CONDUCT FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH ON CAVE ASTROBIOLOGY.