AI software will make real-time decisions on a NASA satellite mission in 2002, NASA JPL announced today.

NASA’s Continuous Activity Scheduling, Planning Execution and Replanning (CASPER) software will guide three identical miniature satellites, which will be launched from the Space Shuttle and fly in formation as part of the Three Corner Sat mission.

CASPAR will make decisions based on the images it acquires and will send back only those images that it deems important, such as a volcanic eruption or solar flare. The goal: eliminate the need for scientists to preview thousands of low-priority images, reduce data transmit time, free up power, and allow the spacecraft to concentrate on other important tasks.

NASA is also planning to use CASPER in autonomous spacecraft, autonomous rovers, ground communications station automation, and uninhabited aerial vehicles.