During the ROC’s inauguration, attendees toured JPL operations facilities, including where the rover drivers plan their next routes. They also visited JPL’s historic Mars Yard, which reproduces Martian terrain to test rover capabilities, and the massive 25-Foot Space Simulator that has tested spacecraft from Voyagers 1 and 2 to Perseverance to America’s next generation of lunar landers. A panel discussion explored the historical value of rovers and aerial systems like the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in planetary surface exploration. Also discussed was the promise of a new public-private partnership opportunity across a virtual network of operational missions.
Attendees were briefed on tiered engagement options for partners, from mission architecture support to autonomy integration, testing, and operations. These opportunities extend to science and human precursor robotic missions, as well as to human-robotic interaction and spacewalks for astronauts on the Moon and Mars.
A highlight for event participants came when the Perseverance team showcased how the ROC’s generative AI can assist rover planners in creating future routes for the rover. The AI analyzed high-resolution orbital images of Jezero Crater and other relevant data and then generated waypoints that kept Perseverance away from hazardous terrain.
Managed for NASA by Caltech, JPL is the home of the Rover Operations Center (ROC).
To learn more about the ROC, visit: