AI in Space: Pros and Cons

Over the past decade, technology has improved and reached new heights. Artificial intelligence’s capabilities have increased tenfold. Recently, many large space companies like NASA, SpaceX, and others have started integrating AI into the space industry. Space exploration has always been constrained by distance. Scientists have made it possible for spacecraft to travel millions of miles away from Earth without needing to stop; however, the astronauts on board are limited by communication speed as well as other factors. Artificial intelligence offers a way for scientists to explore the far worlds of the galaxy and beyond in a much more efficient way. Artificial intelligence provides many benefits to the space industry, but it also comes with many risks and problems. 

Artificial intelligence has been integrated into many different aspects of the space

industry. It can help scientists analyze massive data sets and archives of telescope observations to identify and classify possible exoplanets. The rapid speed at which artificial intelligence can process data has improved the efficiency greatly for not only identifying exoplanets, but also for detecting rare cosmic anomalies in deep space. Additionally, artificial intelligence can rapidly match data between large gravitational wave signal facilities such as LIGO and Virgo to efficiently detect ripples in space time caused by black hole or neutron star collisions. Artificial intelligence also helps with optimizing instrument abilities and modeling stellar evolution and formation processes with higher precision. One of the biggest upgrades artificial intelligence has done for the space industry is with autonomous spacecraft navigation. Artificial intelligence can additionally perform optimal fuel saving launches and complex orbital maneuvers.

On the other hand, artificial intelligence can be difficult to use as it comes with many risks. First of all, there is a large issue with thermal management and cooling of the electronics in space. These electronics produce a lot of heat, and that heat needs to be removed. Usually on Earth, the natural process of convection helps with that removal. This does not work in space, so many companies use radiation to remove the heat which is much less efficient. Although radiation helps with removing heat, large amounts of it can damage hardware which leads to damaging the artificial intelligence which can cause it to provide false information. Another problem is space junk. Companies like SpaceX plan on adding tons of data centers in space which increases the probability of collisions as there are already lots of space junk and other satellites in Earth’s orbit. On board fully autonomous spacecraft, repairs are another challenge as they require advanced robots to perform maintenance. Finally, there is the issue of cybersecurity. Spacecraft technologies are used for both commercial companies and governments and their militaries. The increased use of artificial intelligence increases the risks of cyberattacks. This means that scientists are going to need to also develop strong cybersecurity protocols to protect the satellites.

Although artificial intelligence brings about many benefits and increases efficiency for scientists, it comes with major problems. Scientists around the world are currently working on these issues and somewhere in the near future, artificial intelligence integration can increase. Future space exploration projects and other projects that seem to be impossible can be completed in the near future with the help of artificial intelligence. Overall artificial intelligence cannot fully take over the space industry right now, but when these issues are resolved it may soon come.

Sources: AI in Space: Exploration, Research, and Innovation | American Public University (APU) AI drives new opportunities and risks in space | Brookings Four things we’d need to put data centers in space | MIT Technology Review