Editorial Introduction

The exploration of space is a testament to human curiosity and the desire to understand the universe that we inhabit. As many space agencies around the world design and deploy missions, it is apparent that there is a need for intelligent, exploring systems that can make decisions on their own in remote, potentially hostile environments. At the same time, the monetary cost of operating missions, combined with the growing complexity of the instruments and vehicles being deployed, make it apparent that substantial improvements can be made by the judicious use of automation in mission operations. Stringent communications constraints are present, including limited communication windows, long communication latencies, and limited bandwidth. Additionally, limited access and availability of operators, limited crew availability, system complexity, and many other factors often preclude direct human oversight of many functions.