/sci/ - Science & Math

So how “alive” are spacecraft? They seem pretty autonomous and are capable of independent thought and reasoning.

Cassini also final plunge often has accounts of Cassini trying her damndest to stay oriented looking at Earth and her struggles to correct orientation in her final few seconds.

I know a lot of that is anthropomorphism, but seriously, how alive are space probes?

Also it feels...sad... when a space probe is just “shut off”. Like Kepler or Dawn. It’s almost like taking your dog to the vet to put them down.