Why must robotic spacecraft operate with a high degree of autonomy?
Answer
Radio signals take time to travel between Earth and deep-space targets
Deep space missions are often separated from Earth by distances that result in significant communication latency. Since radio signals are limited by the speed of light, it can take anywhere from minutes to hours for a message to travel between ground control and the spacecraft. Consequently, robotic systems cannot rely on real-time instructions for critical events. They must be capable of making independent decisions, such as adjusting orientation or troubleshooting software errors, to successfully execute their missions without immediate human intervention.
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