NASA's Perseverance rover uses AI to drive across Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover just made history by driving across Mars using AI-powered waypoints that were reviewed, validated through JPL's digital twin and approved by mission teams, with contributions from Vandi Verma, an Indian-origin engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
This marks a new chapter in how we explore other planets.
Meet the woman behind this historic mission
Verma leads robotic operations for Perseverance and has been shaping Mars missions since she joined JPL in 2007.
With degrees from Punjab Engineering College and Carnegie Mellon, she's helped develop smart tech for rovers like Spirit and Curiosity, and the Ingenuity helicopter—making them more independent with each mission.
Verma's work could revolutionize Mars exploration
Verma's work means future Mars rovers can travel farther without waiting for instructions from Earth—a big deal with those long space delays.
As JPL's Matt Wallace points out, this could even open doors to missions where rovers and drones work together.
It's a huge step forward in making space exploration smarter—and more exciting—for everyone watching back home.