Mars Global Localization Gives Perseverance GPS-like Autonomy
NASA's JPL repurposed Perseverance's Helicopter Base Station to run a terrain-based localization algorithm that compares the rover's navigation-camera panoramas with onboard Mars terrain maps, delivering GPS-like positioning and enabling more autonomous navigation without constant Earth-based guidance. The test used the faster HBS hardware and found RAM bit faults, which were isolated to keep the algorithm reliable, showcasing Ingenuity-era hardware enabling new capabilities for the rover.