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NASA now wants spacecraft to make decisions without waiting for humans back on Earth. <\/p>\n
That means future missions to the Moon<\/a>, Mars<\/a>, and deep space will need computers that can react quickly, solve problems in real time, and process huge streams of information on their own. A new project may finally make that possible.<\/p>\n The effort centers on a powerful processor being tested for use in space. Unlike ordinary computer chips, this one is built to survive years in dangerous conditions where repairs are impossible. <\/p>\n Early test results suggest that the processor could dramatically change how spacecraft operate.<\/p>\n The work comes from NASA\u2019s High Performance Spaceflight Computing project.<\/p>\n The team is developing a radiation-hardened processor through a partnership with Microchip Technology Inc. and the NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/a> in California.<\/p>\n Built for harsh space conditions<\/p>\n Space is brutal on electronics. High-energy particles from the Sun<\/a> and deep space can interfere with computer systems and trigger errors. <\/p>\n Sometimes spacecraft are forced into what engineers call \u201csafe mode,\u201d where nonessential systems shut down until operators can fix the issue from Earth.<\/p>\n Temperature swings create another challenge. Hardware may face intense heat one moment and bitter cold the next. <\/p>\n During planetary landings, computers also need to process massive amounts of sensor data almost instantly while navigating dangerous terrain.<\/p>\n That is why NASA has spent months pushing the new processor to its limits.<\/p>\n Early signs of success<\/p>\n \u201cWe are putting these new chips through the wringer by carrying out radiation<\/a>, thermal, and shock tests while also evaluating their performance through a rigorous functional test campaign,\u201d said Jim Butler, High Performance Space Computing project manager at JPL.<\/p>\n The testing began in February and will continue for several months. So far, the processor appears to be performing far beyond expectations.<\/p>\n NASA says early signs show the chip operating at 500 times the performance of the radiation-hardened processors currently used in spacecraft. <\/p>\n The original goal was already ambitious: provide up to 100 times the computing power of existing spaceflight systems.<\/p>\n Why spacecraft need faster computers<\/p>\n Modern spacecraft<\/a> collect huge amounts of scientific information. Mars rovers<\/a> scan rocks and soil. Orbiters study weather systems on distant planets. Deep space probes gather measurements from places billions of miles away.<\/p>\n Much of that information must either wait to be processed or be sent back to Earth for analysis. That takes time.<\/p>\n Signals from Mars can take anywhere from about 5 to 20 minutes to reach Earth, depending on planetary positions. For missions farther out, delays grow even longer.<\/p>\n Faster onboard computers could change that completely.<\/p>\n A spacecraft that thinks for itself<\/p>\n The new processor is designed to help spacecraft analyze data immediately instead of waiting for instructions from mission control. <\/p>\n That means a rover could identify important rock samples by itself or a spacecraft could react to hazards without human input.<\/p>\n The chip may also help future missions use artificial intelligence in ways current space computers cannot handle well. <\/p>\n AI systems require large amounts of computing power, something spacecraft have traditionally lacked because of radiation concerns.<\/p>\n \u201cTo simulate real-world performance, we are using high-fidelity landing scenarios from real NASA missions that would typically require power-intensive hardware to process huge volumes of landing-sensor data,\u201d said Butler. <\/p>\n \u201cThis is an exciting time for us to be working on hardware that will enable NASA\u2019s next giant leaps.\u201d<\/p>\n A triumph of technical achievement <\/p>\n The processor itself is surprisingly compact. It is known as a system-on-a-chip, or SoC. That means many major computer components are packed into a single unit, including processors, networking systems, memory, and data interfaces.<\/p>\n Most people already use SoCs every day inside smartphones and tablets. The difference is durability. <\/p>\n Consumer electronics are never expected to survive years of radiation exposure millions or billions of miles from Earth. NASA\u2019s chip is being designed for exactly that.<\/p>\n \u201cBuilding on the legacy of previous space processors, this new multicore system is fault-tolerant, flexible, and extremely high-performing,\u201d said Eugene Schwanbeck, program element manager in NASA\u2019s Game Changing Development program.<\/p>\n \u201cNASA\u2019s commitment to advancing spaceflight computing is a triumph of technical achievement and collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n The team even marked the beginning of testing with a simple but symbolic message. Engineers sent an email with the subject line \u201cHello Universe,\u201d a nod to the classic \u201cHello World\u201d test used in early computer programming.<\/p>\n Applications beyond spacecraft<\/p>\n NASA expects the processor to eventually support Earth-orbiting satellites, robotic rovers, crewed habitats, and deep space exploration missions. The technology may also find uses much closer to home.<\/p>\n Microchip plans to adapt parts of the system for industries on Earth, including aviation and automotive manufacturing. <\/p>\n Faster and more reliable computing systems could help aircraft and vehicles process information more efficiently in demanding environments.<\/p>\n The project reflects a larger shift happening across space exploration. Spacecraft are becoming less dependent on constant human guidance and more capable of operating independently.<\/p>\n That matters because the farther humans travel into space, the harder it becomes to control every move from Earth. At some point, spacecraft will need to think for themselves. <\/p>\n NASA\u2019s new processor may be one of the first real steps toward making that happen.<\/p>\n Image Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.\u00a0<\/p>\n Check us out on EarthSnap<\/a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls<\/a> and Earth.com.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Space missions still rely on computer chips that were designed years ago. They are dependable and can survive…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":432964,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[111,139,69,147,392],"class_list":["post-432963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-science","tag-space"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=432963"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432963\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/432964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=432963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=432963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=432963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}