This course will explore the possibilities of autonomous spacecraft, from the design and construction of the spacecraft to the potential applications and implications of their use. We will discuss the current state of the technology, the challenges and opportunities of developing and using autonomous spacecraft, and the potential
Uncrewed spacecraft or robotic spacecraft are spacecraft without people on board. Uncrewed spacecraft may have varying levels of autonomy from human input, such as remote control, or remote guidance. They may also be autonomous, in which they have a pre-programmed list of operations that will be executed unless otherwise instructed. A robotic spacecraft for scientific measurements is often called a space probe or space observatory.