How much easier is it to plan the next days drive now than in the beginning?
Dr. Stroupe: The rovers are actually robots, and as such are highly autonomous. We give them an entire day’s worth of activities at once (in the morning) and then at the end of the day they call home and let us know how they did. During the day, they execute the plan, and keep themselves safe from conditions that arise that were not foreseen. Once in a while, during an emergency, we command the rovers real-time, but this almost never involves driving or using the robotic arm. We have developed a lot of experience and a lot of tools to help us since the beginning of the mission. However, every day and every place is different and brings new challenges. While I wouldn’t say it has really gotten easier, I think I can say it is has gotten a lot more efficient.
