Intelligent Robots Will Explore Milky Way by 2020 -A Galaxy Insight

Before the year 2020, scientists are expected to launch intelligent space robots that will venture out to explore the universe for us.

"Robotic exploration probably will always be the trail blazer for human exploration of far space," says Wolfgang Fink, physicist and researcher at Caltech. "We haven't yet landed a human being on Mars but we have a robot there now. In that sense, it's much easier to send a robotic explorer. When you can take the human out of the loop, that is becoming very exciting."

While Fink is encouraged by the progress made by missions such as the Mars Phoenix and its robotic arm, he emphasizes that the link between human and robot needs to be eliminated, allowing robots to make their own decisions on what science needs to be carried out. In reference to the Phoenix's robotic arm he said, "The arms are the tools, but it's about the intent to move the arms. That's what we're after. To have the robot know that something there is interesting and that's where it needs to go and then to go get a sample from it. That's what we've after. You want to get rid of the joystick, in other words. You want the system to take control of itself and then basically use its own tools to explore."

The physicist said he envisions a time when humans send out intelligent probes to explore the far reaches of the universe and send information back to Earth - without having to send people on excruciatingly long and dangerous space missions.

"In the old Star Wars movies, especially in the Empire Strikes Back, the empire was sending out probes or floating robots," said Fink. "Those were ideal robotic explorers because they floated over planets and had sensors and communication capabilities. Once you venture out to other planets, you need something that can operate on its own. You can't monitor and supervise every single step. You want to deploy something that, on its own, can start a reconnaissance of the area and report back."

The key attribute robots need to possess is the ability to recognize something of interest, such as a rock or crater, something that a human mind would see as a scientific opportunity. At Caltech, Fink and others are working on programs that use images for robots to distinguish colors, textures, shapes and obstacles. Once artificial intelligence has the ability to do this, if the programming is complex enough, the robot can notice something that is out of place, or a region worth investigating (such as a strangely coloured patch of Mars regolith that a Mars robot will decide to dig into).

The researchers also are working on a wish list of sorts for the spacecraft. The list would include things that NASA and university scientists would like the robot to investigate. "It's very difficult to teach a spacecraft," said Fink. "When a geologist goes into the field, they can tell you if they see something that sparks their interest. Based on that interest, it triggers more refined research. But the problem is if you encounter something that scientists had not foreseen, then you run the risk of not detecting it We'll equip it with a database and a wish list, along with the ability to flag an anomaly."

Fink said NASA has shown some interest in their work. And that makes sense since NASA is planning an unmanned mission to Titan, Saturn's largest moon, around 2017. The CalTech physicist explained that an orbiter would most likely release a balloon-type vehicle that would float above the surface of the moon and send its findings back to Earth.

"It takes more than hour to send communications back and forth to a space probe at Saturn or Titan," said Fink. "It is not a problem so much if you are dealing with a Lander, which is immobile, or when you're dealing with a rover which is not moving too fast. It becomes a significant problem if you deploy a balloon or air ship on Titan, let's say. They are floating so you need a much quicker reaction time. If there's a mountain or hill coming up, you need to make a decision right there and then.

The main question is will robotic missions trump our basic human desire to explore space via manned missions?

Posted by Casey Kazan.

http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/28/by-2020-droids-will-explore-space-for-us/

Comments

[LetsFocus]

Let's use the robotic explorers en-masse to find the interesting places to explore with humans, not replace human exploration.

[knoxvilledaniel]

Robotic exploration of space should go hand - in - hand with human exploraration of space, not supplanting it. They should be like the ground troups & advance scouts to make sure that a territory is safe for their human compatriots to explore. Robot probes are superior to humans in terms of computational power, ability to explore hostile environments, & longevity, but for the moment, they don't possess curiousity or the drive to explore. Until that day, humans will still be instigators.

[Cesar Marcondes]

Unfortunately, I can just think of this as illusion. I don't know if you have watched the talk at TED by one of the leaders of the SETI program. She said that one of the space-crafts that was launched in 1975 is at about 100 UI (the distance between Earth and the Sun), doing the appropriate calculations this is 15 light-HOURS from the Earth, after 34 years. However, the nearest STAR (proxima centauri) out of the trillion stars in the Milky Way is 4.1 light-YEARS. Thus, according to my calculations the spacecraft will take another 80,000 earth-YEARS to reach the NEAREST star. Now, explain to me ... how robots will explore the milky-way in 2020 given this conditions?

[Stuart]

Why don't they send the robots out there, but allow them to have their intelligence upgraded remotely by way of software? We may need to wait for robots with nanotech capabilities though of course.

[claudio]

These are the result of 'Phanom Torso' returned to earth after a bath of cosmic rays according to NASA:

"The most dangerous kind of radiation astronauts experience is galactic cosmic rays (GCR). These are bare atomic nuclei, some as heavy as iron atoms, accelerated to nearly the speed of light by distant supernovas. Because of their high velocity, high mass, and positive electric charge, GCR particles can cause tremendous damage to a person's cells. And traditional radiation shielding can't stop them."

Therefore Robots are the next generation explorers and even a Lunar base may present unsolvable issues for the humans exposed to GCR baths.

Sorry for the many current dreams but humans are not suitable for deep space exploration missions.

Regards to the dreamers....of human exploration of the cosmos