File:KSC-04-S-00210 (ksc 070204 erebus).webm

English: So often, taking the perfect picture is a matter of being ready when the moment comes. Whether scanning our Earth or exploring distant planets, spacecraft need the ability to react to surprising discoveries and collect valuable data.That's why NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed its Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment- or ASE. Traditional satellites and probes are remote-commanded and can only make observations that engineers pre-program them to.But for ASE-equipped spacecraft, they have the unique ability to make split-second decisions and capture data that might've otherwise been missed. The beauty of ASE is that it allows spacecraft to literally make decisions on the fly. That's how ASE worked when the EO-1 sciencecraft passed over Mount Erebus in Antarctica on May 7. As the craft flew over Erebus, the craft detected heat coming from the volcano's lava lake. Realizing the volcano was active, the vehicle made the decision to take more images. EO-1 then transmitted the details of its discovery back to scientists on the ground. Using traditional technology, the entire imaging process would have taken months or never even happened at all. But with the assistance of ASE, EO-1 gathered and sent the news to scientists in only a matter of minutes. In the future, more spacecraft could be equipped with ASE giving them the autonomy they need to call their own shots.