Research Viewpoint: Human Enhancement and Artificial Intelligence for Space Missions

ABSTRACT This paper discusses key issues concerning robotic space missions and human enhancement for purposes of missions to deep space. Effective robotic exploration, especially to deep space, optimally requires advanced artificial intelligence not currently employed. This posits ethical and social challenges in interactions with humans. It is also argued that exploration of deep space by humans ideally requires physiological enhancement of future astronauts. At the same time, progress in space medicine, countermeasures to space radiation, and artificial gravity also provide solutions for deep space human missions. The paper concludes that deep space mission planners seriously account for both advanced robotic artificial intelligence and human physiological enhancement.

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