Special AI/DB Seminar March 10 (Monday)t 3:15pm GWC 487:Move Over Hal: Autonomous Spacecraft in the New Millennium

[Subbarao Kambhampati <rao@asu.edu>]

[Please note that a previous message showed the date wrong..
the talk is on Monday, 3:15pm]

Special AI/DB Seminar March 10 (Monday)^th 3:15pm GWC 487

Move Over Hal& Autonomous Spacecraft in the New Millennium

Steve Chien

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

California Institute of Technology

chien@aig.jpl.nasa.gov http://www-aig.jpl.nasa.gov/public/home/chien/

Beginning in 2003 and continuing through 2007 several space missions will
be carrying artificial intelligence (AI) software to perform
decision-making onboard based on science goals. The EO-1 Spacecraft
(eo1.gsfc.nasa.gov) will use onboard image analysis, mission planning,
and robust execution software to autonomously perform science. It will
use this AI software to detect and track science phenomena including:
volcanic activity, breakup of glacier ice, and Aeolian features
(wind-influences sand features). The Three Corner Sat constellation of
three spacecraft, originally scheduled launches in August 2003 and will
use 6 cameras to capture stereoscopic images of high altitude clouds
(threecornersat.jpl.nasa.gov). The Techsat-21 mission (ase.jpl.nasa.gov)
will use onboard autonomy software to conduct its mission.

This talk will describe how onboard AI software will dramatically
increase the science return on these missions, with an emphasis on EO-1.
Onboard science software will detect events (such as volcanic eruptions
and floods) an enable onboard mission planning to enable autonomous
decision-making and response. We will also briefly discuss how these
technologies might be used in future missions such as an Io volcano
observer or a cryobot to explore the subsurface oceans of Europa.