Groundbreaking change in NASA’s Mars exploration: How artificial intelligence will change the endurance of spacecraft
August 7, 2024
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Imagine a spacecraft orbiting a distant planet all by itself, carefully examining the rocks on the surface, analyzes the minerals they contain and determines what information is important.
Imagine a spacecraft orbiting a distant planet all by itself, carefully examining the rocks on the surface, analyzes the minerals they contain and determines what information is important. This dream has come true!
In addition, you can obtain accurate data by performing these analyses immediately determines the most ideal points. Like a scientist, he discovers clues to the planet’s past.
How does artificial intelligence work on Mars?
About The Perseverance mission, which has been running for three years, It tests a form of artificial intelligence that searches for minerals in Martian rocks. For the first time on Mars, it enables artificial intelligence to make autonomous decisions by analyzing the composition of rocks in real time.
is a spectrometer developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. PIXL software It supports.
PIXL maps the chemical composition of minerals on the surface of a rock Microbial life in Mars’ ancient past It allows them to determine whether it is formed under conditions that could support it.
How does adaptive sampling work?
This software, called “Adaptive sampling”, positions its target autonomously and then examines the PIXL scans to find minerals worthy of deeper investigation.
And without talking to mission leaders on Earth, It happens in real time. According to PIXL’s Principal Investigator Abigail Allwood; PIXL’s AI helps us focus on important scientific findings. This allows PIXL to come to a conclusion without humans having to examine the data.
This is not the only application of artificial intelligence on Mars.
NASA’s Curiosity rover, autonomous according to the shape and color of the rock It had already started using a form of artificial intelligence that examined rocks with a laser. As a result of laser examination, the chemical composition of the rock is determined.
PIXL sends an X-ray beam to the surface of a rock raster scanning that creates microscopic dots doing. Each point provides information about the chemical composition of the minerals present. In this way, scientists can find traces of life on Mars faster and more efficiently.
Ashley Johnson is a science writer for “Div Bracket”. With a background in the natural sciences and a passion for exploring the mysteries of the universe, she provides in-depth coverage of the latest scientific developments.