NASA JPL Inaugurates Moon And Mars Explorer Development Center

JAKARTA The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), one of NASA's facilities in Southern California, inaugurated the Rover Operations Center (ROC). This center was built to support missions to the Moon and Mars.

ROC was built based on the experience of JPL for more than 30 years in operating the Martian surface mission. This experience includes the operation of the Ingenuity helicopter, the only helicopter that has flown on Mars, as well as two other active surface missions.

NASA says that this center is built to integrate and innovate across space missions under the control of JPL. In addition, ROC was built to establish strategic partnerships with industry and academics.

ROC's main focus is to accelerate the implementation of the Moon and Mars surface missions autonomously. JPL will focus on partnerships with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry and the commercial space industry.

JPL has been building autonomous vehicles since the 1990s. This innovation began with saving Sojourner, the first rover for another planet. This innovation continues to evolve thanks to more advanced technology.

Now, a generating AI has also been used by Perseverance teams. With AI, the Mars rover team can create a more efficient future route for its robotic rover.

"The Rover Operations Center is a force multiplier," said JPL Director Dave Gallagher, quoted on Thursday, December 11. "This center integrates special knowledge for decades with advanced new tools."