NASA's Autonomous Rovers Blaze the Trail for Human Exploration 

NASA's Autonomous Rovers Blaze the Trail for Human Exploration 

NASA plans to send three mini rovers to the moon in 2024 as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative 

NASA plans to send three mini rovers to the moon in 2024 as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative 

The mission aims to demonstrate the capability of autonomous robots in performing tasks without direct human control 

The mission aims to demonstrate the capability of autonomous robots in performing tasks without direct human control 

The rovers will be part of NASA's Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration (CADRE) project 

The rovers will be part of NASA's Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration (CADRE) project 

The main lander will act as a command base, receiving generalized commands from mission controllers

The main lander will act as a command base, receiving generalized commands from mission controllers

The rovers, about the size of a carry-on suitcase, will autonomously determine how to achieve high-level goals without specific instructions 

The rovers, about the size of a carry-on suitcase, will autonomously determine how to achieve high-level goals without specific instructions 

The mission will test the rovers' ability to drive in formation and navigate around obstacles on the lunar surface 

The mission will test the rovers' ability to drive in formation and navigate around obstacles on the lunar surface 

The results from this lunar mission could have implications for future human space exploration and the potential for multi-robot missions to support astronauts 

The results from this lunar mission could have implications for future human space exploration and the potential for multi-robot missions to support astronauts