MAPGEN: Mixed Initiative Planning and Scheduling for the Mars ‘03 MER Mission

The Mars Exploration Rovers Mars ‘03 mission is one of NASA’s most ambitious science missions to date. The rovers will be launched in the summer of 2003 with each rover carrying instruments to conduct remote and in-situ observations to elucidate the planet’s past climate, water activity, and habitability. Science is the primary driver of MER and, as a consequence, making best use of the scientific instruments, within the available resources, is a crucial aspect of the mission. To address this criticality, the MER project has selected MAPGEN (Mixed-Initiative Activity Plan GENerator) as an activity planning tool. MAPGEN combines two existing systems, each with a strong heritage: APGEN the Activity Planning tool from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Europa Planning/Scheduling system from NASA Ames Research Center. This paper discusses the issues arising from combining these tools in the context of this mission.