According to NASA engineers, the unusual appearance does not affect their performance. On the contrary, it is even more efficient than human-designed models.
The Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA is utilizing AI systems to design specialized spacecraft components. Experts at the aerospace agency refer to these as “evolved structures,” noting that they have an appearance that is “out of this world.”
“They look very strange,” research engineer Ryan McClelland remarked, “but once you see them in operation, [people] find them logical.”
Initially, experts list the specific requirements for the components serving extraterrestrial missions. Designers outline the surfaces where the components will be attached to the spacecraft, and then AI software connects the contact points, creating a complete and complex structure in just one to two hours.
Unlike meticulously cut and polished components, those created by AI have an unusual appearance – (Photo: NASA).
“The algorithms still require human oversight,” engineer McClelland stated. “Human intuition knows what is correct, and if AI is left to design on its own, sometimes the algorithms can result in structures that are too thin.”
This advanced structure is lightweight with high load capacity and can be completed in just a week. Moreover, such design projects do not require much manpower, allowing design experts to work on multiple projects in a short timeframe.
“We see [artificial intelligence] reducing risks. After analyzing the stress of the objects, we found that the spacecraft components generated by the algorithms do not accumulate stress like those designed by humans. The stress levels are nearly ten times lower when compared [to AI-made components] with those created by human experts,” engineer McClelland explained.
According to him, the weights of these advanced structures can be only two-thirds that of human-designed structures, significantly reducing the risk of failure. Currently, AI-designed spacecraft components are featured in many of NASA’s future missions, including the Exoplanet Climate Infrared Telescope (EXCITE) – a telescope intended for observing hot exoplanets (similar to Jupiter, with surface temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius) orbiting distant star systems.
Illustration of the design of the EXCITE telescope – (Photo: spiedigitallibrary).
“We are facing some challenging design aspects,” physicist Peter Nagler noted. “It’s a combination of specific surfaces and precise metrics, which is a tricky issue for our design experts.”
Nasa’s application of AI design in the aerospace industry could set a precedent for other industries to follow. The initial applications are currently limited to spacecraft components, but soon we may see lunar and Martian bases designed by AI.
In 1969, computers helped humanity land on the Moon. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, artificial intelligence will help humanity settle under a new roof.
