NASA Develops AI Robots for Ocean Moon Exploration

NASA is developing advanced artificial intelligence software to enable future lander missions to autonomously explore Jupiter's moon Europa and other icy ocean moons. The software, tested through the Ocean Worlds Lander Autonomy Testbed (OWLAT) and OceanWATERS virtual reality simulation, aims to allow landers to make independent decisions in response to unexpected terrain and technical challenges, reducing reliance on delayed communications with Earth. This technology is crucial for missions targeting Europa and Enceladus, which are believed to have subsurface oceans that could harbor life.