Why must onboard devices manage power distribution without real-time input from Earth controllers?
Answer
Significant time delay for light and radio waves traveling millions of miles
The vast distances separating Earth from planets like Mars or objects in the outer solar system introduce a significant time delay for radio wave communication. A signal to Mars can take several minutes each way, and journeys further out take hours. Because of this inherent time delay, mission operations cannot rely on moment-to-moment control from Earth. Therefore, onboard devices must possess substantial computational power and machine autonomy to perform initial quality checks, prioritize which data packets are most valuable, and manage critical functions like power distribution independently until new instructions can be received.
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