Launch Point

By Aleena Shinde

When NASA launched the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, the onboard computer, the Apollo Guidance Computer had about 64 KB of memory and operated at 0.043 MHz. That’s less processing power than a digital watch today. Astronauts relied on paper checklists, manual switches, and thousands of hours of pre-programmed commands. Everything had to be calculated, rehearsed, and double-checked by humans.

Fast forward to today, and artificial intelligence (AI) is helping us explore the universe with a level of autonomy and speed the Apollo engineers could hardly imagine.

One of the best examples of this transformation is the Mars rover Perseverance, which landed on Mars in 2021. Unlike earlier rovers, Perseverance is equipped with an AI-based system called Terrain-Relative Navigation, which allowed it to assess the Martian surface and make real-time landing decisions without waiting for commands from Earth. It can also decide where to drive and what rocks to sample, using data and machine learning.

AI is also used on the International Space Station through robotic assistants like ‘Astrobee’, a cube-shaped, free floating robot that uses AI to navigate and help astronauts with routine tasks, like inventory or inspections. This lets astronauts focus on more complex work, such as scientific experiments or spacewalks.

Beyond robotics, AI helps scientists process the massive amount of data gathered by telescopes and satellites. Tools like Google’s AI for Exoplanets have already helped identify planets outside our solar system by analyzing light patterns that would take humans years to sift through manually. AI also helps astronomers study cosmic phenomena like black holes, supernovae, and galaxy formation by spotting patterns and anomalies in data.

Even future missions like NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the Moon and eventually go to Mars are relying on AI for planning, system diagnostics, and communication. So perhaps AI isn’t replacing astronauts or scientists. It’s augmenting them.

The real power lies in human-AI collaboration. AI can process data faster than any person, but it can’t replicate human creativity, intuition, or moral judgment. A rover might find an unusual rock, but only a trained scientist can interpret its historical significance. A robot can identify problems, but it takes human insight to solve them in meaningful, ethical ways. By working together, we get the best of both worlds with machine efficiency and human imagination.

It’s amazing to think that space exploration began with chalkboards and calculations by hand. Now we’re training machines to help us build lunar habitats, explore Martian caves, and even listen for alien signals. From Apollo’s computers to today’s algorithms, one thing hasn’t changed. Our curiosity about what lies beyond Earth. And now, with AI on our side, we just might get there a little faster and a lot smarter.