NASA’s Perseverance rover completed its first drive on Mars using waypoints planned by generative AI, marking a historic achievement in space exploration.
The mission used Anthropic’s Claude AI to analyze terrain data and create navigation waypoints — a complex task usually done by human planners.
Perseverance drove hundreds of feet on Mars’ Jezero Crater following the AI-generated route, demonstrating that AI can help guide safe rover movements.
AI planners used high-resolution imagery and terrain models from Mars orbiters to map hazards like rocks and slopes before generating paths
Engineers reviewed and refined the AI-suggested waypoints before sending commands to the rover, ensuring safety and mission success.
This breakthrough suggests future missions could rely more on intelligent planning tools, reducing delays caused by long distances between Earth and Mars.