Abstract

It is well-known that advanced automation systems can handle many sophisticated, dangerous, and beyond-the-reach-of-human jobs in the fields of industry, agriculture, deep ocean, outer space, and national defense. For example, in the Mars sample return (MSR) mission¹ of the Planetary Spacecraft System Technology of NASA, a high degree of automation is demanded. In addition to artificial intelligence, guidance, control, and aerodynamic technologies in the MSR mission, advance sensors are required for the automated rendezvous and docking system as well as the Mars Rover.

© 1985 Optical Society of America