"When people think of space, they think of rocket plumes and the Space Shuttle, but the future of space is information technology. We must develop a virtual presence, in space, on planets, in aircraft and spacecraft." [Dan Goldin, May 1996] To help meet NASA?s computer science research needs, the number one priority at the NASA Ames Research Center is now computer science research. [CH2000]

NASA?s change in focus has arisen out of its realization that the major technological roadblocks impeding the nation?s ability to perform earth and space science, and to achieve its exploration goals, center on computation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Communication delays on long distance missions compel NASA to focus on Computer Science research. With roundtrip communication delays ranging from 6 to 45 minutes between Earth and Mars, human and robotic missions cannot be effectively controlled remotely from earth. Much of the intelligence provided by Mission Controllers will, in the future, necessarily accompany human and virtual explorers.