NASA is building a powerful new chip for spacecraft that will be able to make decisions on its own

NASA is developing a new processor that will change the way future space missions are conducted. This chip, developed under the High Performance Spaceflight Computing Project, will enable spacecraft to make decisions on their own without waiting for contact with Earth and to act on the data they receive immediately.

Until now, older processors have been used in spacecraft because they are more reliable in the harsh conditions of space. But their computing power is so low that they are insufficient for next-generation missions. Astronauts will need to make quick decisions on missions to the Moon and Mars, and it can take several minutes for signals to arrive from Earth, making the ability to make autonomous decisions extremely important.

NASA says that this new chip will not only make spacecraft autonomous, but also allow scientific data analysis to be done much faster, which will speed up space exploration. This chip is being developed in collaboration with a commercial partner.