Autonomous image analyses during the 1999 Marsokhod rover field test

A Martian rover capable of analyzing images autonomously could traverse greater path lengths and return data with greater scientific content. A more intelligent rover could, for example, automatically select targets of interest (e.g., rocks, layers), return spectral or high-resolution image data of these targets at the same time, remove less interesting or redundant parts of images before transmitting them, and provide compact information or representations of its environment. Three prototype algorithms, a horizon detector, a rock detector, and a layer detector have been developed and tested during the 1999 Marsokhod rover field test in Silver Lake, California. The results are encouraging and demonstrate the potential savings in time as well as the potential increase in the amount of relevant science data returned in each command cycle.