Use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in NASA

NASA Never Turns Back to Utilize AI and Machine Learning in the Best Possible Way.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have had a profound influence on a wide range of areas and businesses, where they have paved the way for the automation and optimization of operations as well as the development of new business opportunities. However, due to quick advances, these technological innovations are being used in research and development outside of our atmosphere and into space.

Now, let's take a quick look at how NASA uses AI and Machine Learning for various space projects and earth science.

AI and Machine Learning Used for Space Exploration

NASA is constantly progressing in AI applications for space research, such as automating image analysis for the galaxy, planet, and star classification, developing autonomous space probes that can avoid space junk without human involvement, by using AI-based radio technology to make communication networks more effective and disturbance-free. However, the creation of autonomous landers (robots) that wander the surface of other planets is one of NASA's most critical AI applications. Without explicit orders from the control room, these autonomous robots must make judgments and avoid obstacles on the uneven terrain while choosing the optimal course. Some of the most significant advances in Mars exploration have relied heavily on autonomous robots.

Advanced Machine Learning for Earth Science

The Radiant Earth Foundation and NASA Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) sponsored a workshop for professionals in January 2020 to explore the progress of machine learning (ML) methods on NASA's Earth Observation (EO) data. The event, which took place in Washington, D.C., drew 51 participants from government entities, non-profit groups, colleges, and commercial businesses. The session report (PDF) is now online, and it emphasizes the difficulties, potential solutions, and best practices for integrating EO data in machine learning processes for Earth science research and applications.

The Advancing ML Tools for Earth Science Workshop drew 51 people from government agencies, non-profits, universities, and the commercial sector. The Radiant Earth Foundation provided this image. Machine learning is a type of AI that can learn from data, recognize patterns and make choices with little or no human interaction. Because of the abundance of publicly available EO data, Earth scientific fields are particularly well suited to make use of ML.

Open data, open-source technology, community building, specialized algorithm development study, and benchmark-labeled samples are the building elements for mainstream use of ML in Earth science. To that aim, NASA's ESDS program has invested in machine learning-based technology and industry that concentrate on data-driven science and operational efficiency. There are also plans to create highly curated Earth science benchmark instructional datasets that may be utilized to speed up advanced computer algorithms and benchmarking.

However, there are also issues with applying machine learning to Earth science, such as a shortage of training datasets and transferring ML applications from development to production. Participants in the workshop explored these major issues and offered suggestions for how to best proceed.

NASA using Machine Learning for Space Projects

1. Rovers on Mars

Did you believe Tesla, Google, Uber, and other companies were the first to commit substantially to self-driving cars? In reality, NASA developed autonomous driving systems for Mars Rovers over a year earlier. AutoNav, a machine learning-based navigational and mobility system for self-driving Mars rovers, was utilized in the Spirit and Opportunity rovers that arrived on Mars in 2004. Curiosity, a rover deployed in 2011, also utilizes AutoNav and is continuing investigating Mars to this day with the goal of discovering water and other elements that might make Mars viable for human travel in the future!

2. Medicine in Space

What will happen if astronauts require medical assistance when they travel farther into space outside Earth's orbit? They won't be able to go back to Earth for a check-up with a physician, certainly! As a result, NASA is developing the Exploration Medical Capability, which will utilize Machine Learning to provide healthcare alternatives based on the astronauts' projected future medical requirements. These healthcare choices will be developed by certified medical professionals, and they will learn and grow over time as the astronauts' experiences inform them.

3. Planets Search

You already know how huge the universe is. NASA estimates that there are about 100 billion stars in the galaxy, with around 40 billion having the potential to support life. This isn't science fiction; NASA believes we may one day discover aliens! However, before NASA can find aliens, it must first uncover a growing number of new planets in other solar systems. Once these exoplanets have been identified, NASA will analyze their atmosphere spectra to see if they have the potential to support life.

4. A Robotic Astronaut

Were you under the impression that astronauts could only be human beings? Normally, you'd be correct, but NASA has now produced a robotic astronaut. Science fiction is becoming a reality! The Robonaut was designed to operate alongside astronauts in space, assisting them in doing activities that would be unsafe for humans to complete. This was important because it will boost NASA's capability for space research and discovery, allowing us to understand more about the galaxy.

5. Navigation on the Moon

What would happen if you become separated from the rest of the world? Well, not much at all! You may just use GPS to get to your desired location. But what if you become separated from your companions on the Moon?! Because GPS doesn't function on the moon, you'd best pray somebody finds you! Or, at the very least, it didn't until today!!! The NASA Frontier Development Laboratory is now working on a project that will allow navigation on the surface of the moon! This project seeks to offer GPS even on the moon's surface, but without the need for numerous high-cost satellites!

Conclusion

In space research, such as charting unlabelled galaxies, stars, black holes, and investigating cosmic occurrences, as well as communications, autonomous StarCraft navigation, tracking, and control systems, AI has proved to be a game-changer in all of these. The most current use of AI may be seen in efforts to develop AI-powered, empathic robotic assistants to aid astronomers in long-distance space flight by recognizing and anticipating the crew's demands, as well as interpreting astronauts' emotions.