NASA to launch Amazon Alexa to deep space under Artemis 1 mission in 2022

NASA's upcoming Artemis 1 mission, which will be the first of many launches to the Moon, will carry the first-ever voice artificial intelligence (AI) that we are all familiar with, Amazon Alexa. The unmanned Artemis 1 is scheduled for early 2022 and will be used to test many technologies meant to support astronauts in future missions. According to NASA, the voice AI has been fed into a technology demonstration called 'Callisto' which has been developed through its space agreement with Lockheed Martin.

"We’re proud to be working with Lockheed Martin to push the limits of voice technology and AI, and we hope Alexa’s role in the mission helps inspire future scientists, astronauts, and engineers who will define this next era of space exploration", Aaron Rubenson, vice president of Alexa Everywhere at Amazon said in a company's statement.

Alexa's first ride to space

The digital assistant has been chosen basically for voice commands that the engineers want to test for Artemis missions. Lockheed Martin, in partnership with Amazon and Cisco, plans to integrate Alexa and Webex video into NASA's Orion spacecraft for Artemis 1, in order to demonstrate how astronauts and flight controllers can use human-machine interface technology for space exploration. 

According to the collaborators, the Callisto device will be embedded right into the center console of the Orion spacecraft, where it will use Alexa to communicate with mission controllers at the Johnson Space Center. Not to forget, the spacecraft will also include a manikin that is being sent as a payload under Artemis 1. As for Alexa's functioning, engineers will be using NASA's Deep Space Network since there will be no software and services that run on the internet, located on computer servers on Earth. "As humans travel farther into space, this technology could enable astronauts to operate more independently from Earth. Similar technology could be used on the Gateway, a multi-purpose outpost orbiting the Moon, or for missions to Mars", NASA said in a statement.

Talk to Alexa when it travels into deep space

According to Amazon, those who own Alexa-enabled devices can also participate in Alexa's journey from their homes by asking mission-related questions. The Callisto device is being designed in a way that it will be able to provide near real-time data and answer questions like "how fast is Orion traveling?" or "what’s the temperature in the cabin?". 

"The Star Trek computer was part of our original inspiration for Alexa, so it’s exciting and humbling to see our vision for ambient intelligence come to life onboard Orion", Rubenson said.

Image: Amazon