NASA is making its Mars rovers smarter and more independent. Recently, the Perseverance rover used artificial intelligence (AI) to plan its own route on Mars without humans controlling it directly.
In a test in December, AI helped Perseverance choose waypoints and guide itself on two separate drives. During this test, the rover traveled 456 meters (about 1,496 feet) on its own.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said, “This test shows how much our technology has improved and opens new ways to explore other planets.” He also added that autonomous systems like this can help missions work more efficiently, especially as spacecraft travel farther away from Earth.
This development is a big step toward more independent space exploration in the future.