Continuum, a company originating from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), utilizes licensed NASA mission-planning tools to provide a modular platform for end-to-end mission development. This platform supports the design, build, test, and operational phases of space missions. Numerous space startups and satellite operators have adopted Continuum's tools to plan and execute orbital objectives.
Separately, the European Space Agency's (ESA) Hera mission successfully tested its autonomous navigation capabilities during a Mars flyby. The spacecraft autonomously identified and tracked dozens of Martian surface features, validating its self-driving technology for navigating around asteroids. The test involved acquiring new images every 48 seconds using Hera's Asteroid Framing Camera, demonstrating the system's ability to adapt to new environments.