In 1919, pilots Alcock and Brown made history with the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Canada to Ireland. Their journey, which lasted 16 hours, was fraught with challenges. The aircraft was so heavily loaded that it barely cleared trees during takeoff. Soon after, they lost radio contact and heating due to a generator failure. Navigating by the stars, they became disoriented in thick fog, nearly crashing into the sea. Despite a snowstorm and a rough landing in Ireland, they successfully completed the flight, marking a significant milestone in aviation and highlighting the crucial role of pilots.
Fast forward 40 years, and NASA was on the brink of space exploration. The X-15 program was launched to understand human capabilities in spaceflight. The X-15, a rocket-powered aircraft, could reach altitudes over 100 kilometers and speeds of 7,000 kilometers per hour. Through 199 flights over nine years, NASA discovered that while humans could pilot rockets, automated systems were far more precise. This led to a shift in focus: humans would monitor rockets, not fly them. Unlike airplanes, which need only a couple of pilots, rockets require a team at mission control to oversee operations. Today, rocket launches are mostly automated, with systems like the Falcon Heavy taking over 60 seconds before launch.
Given rockets’ automation, why can’t airliners fly without pilots? Modern airliners have advanced autopilot systems, but these primarily assist pilots rather than replace them. However, autonomous flight isn’t new. In 1947, the US Air Force flew a C-54 Skymaster from Canada to England using autopilot. The plane took off, flew, and landed by itself, following pre-programmed instructions.
This story is part of Nicholas Carr’s audiobook “The Glass Cage,” which explores automation’s future, including robots and self-driving cars. Available on Audible, you can listen to it on the go with a free trial and two Audible originals.
Today’s technology makes autonomous takeoff and landing feasible. However, creating an aircraft that can handle every unexpected situation as safely as a human pilot is complex. Our current airline infrastructure also poses challenges. A pilotless airliner would need to navigate airports and communicate with other planes, raising regulatory concerns if introduced suddenly.
Since the dawn of spaceflight, rockets have relied on automated guidance systems. At high speeds and altitudes, computers guide rockets with precision beyond human capability. This is evident in the Falcon 9’s landing process, which involves a “suicide burn” where engines fire at the last possible moment. The onboard computers calculate the perfect timing for engine ignition, akin to pausing a video at exactly zero.
While the Falcon 9 uses GPS for precise landings, future Mars missions won’t have this luxury. SpaceX plans to send a cargo mission to Mars with the Starship rocket. Without a Martian GPS, Starship will need to autonomously analyze terrain for landing. This scenario may benefit from human input, as seen during Apollo 11 when Neil Armstrong manually avoided a boulder field.
For Mars landings, Starship could use artificial vision with cameras to avoid rough terrain. Another idea is deploying transponders near the landing site to create a localized GPS. These would communicate with Starship to guide it accurately. Regardless of the method, the first Starship landing on Mars promises to be an exciting and nerve-wracking event!
Research the pioneering flight of Alcock and Brown and present your findings to the class. Focus on the challenges they faced and how their journey contributed to the evolution of aviation. Use visual aids like maps and historical photos to enhance your presentation.
Participate in a computer simulation that mimics the launch and landing of a rocket. Pay attention to the automated systems involved and discuss the precision required for successful missions. Reflect on the role of human oversight in these processes.
Engage in a debate about the pros and cons of fully automated aircraft. Consider current technological capabilities, safety concerns, and the potential impact on pilots’ roles. Use examples from both historical and modern contexts to support your arguments.
Analyze the X-15 program as a case study. Discuss its objectives, achievements, and how it influenced the development of human spaceflight. Consider the balance between human control and automation in the program’s success.
Work in groups to design a strategy for landing a spacecraft on Mars. Incorporate elements of both human and machine collaboration, such as artificial vision systems or localized GPS. Present your strategy to the class, highlighting potential challenges and solutions.
In the year 1919, pilots Alcock and Brown completed the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Canada to Ireland. The journey took them just 16 hours, but it was anything but straightforward. During takeoff, the overloaded aircraft barely cleared a line of trees. Shortly after, the onboard generator failed, causing them to lose radio contact and their heating system. The pilots faced even more trouble when they were suddenly surrounded by a thick layer of fog. Relying on the stars for navigation, they became completely lost, and the lack of visibility caused Alcock to lose control of the aircraft, narrowly avoiding the sea. After a snowstorm and a minor crash landing in Ireland, the pilots successfully crossed the Atlantic. This major accomplishment ultimately led to the beginning of passenger air travel, but Alcock and Brown’s challenging journey highlighted the essential role of the pilot.
Forty years later, with spaceflight on the horizon, NASA established the X-15 program to determine how humans and aircraft would cope with flights into space. The X-15 was a rocket-powered aircraft capable of reaching altitudes above 100 kilometers and speeds of 7,000 kilometers per hour. One of the main goals of the program was to explore the limitations of humans in spaceflight—understanding what humans excel at and what computers do better. After nine years and 199 flights, NASA found that while a human could fly a rocket into space, automated systems could perform the same task with much greater accuracy. Once NASA shifted their focus to rockets, it became clear that the role of humans would not be to fly the rocket but to monitor its operations. While an airplane can be flown with just a couple of pilots, a rocket requires a whole team of people back at mission control to constantly monitor each part of the rocket. To this day, rocket launches are largely automated. For example, 60 seconds before launch, the Falcon Heavy’s onboard computers take control of the flight, allowing the rocket to operate autonomously.
If a rocket can do this, then why can’t an airliner fly without a pilot? Although modern airliners have advanced autopilot systems, their primary function is to reduce the workload for the pilot rather than to fly the plane entirely on their own. However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible for an aircraft to fly itself. Back in 1947, the US Air Force conducted an experimental flight from Canada to England using a C-54 Skymaster. With a seven-man crew onboard, the pilot taxied onto the runway, released the controls, and engaged the autopilot. The plane took off autonomously, adjusting its flaps and throttles, and once airborne, it retracted its landing gear. It then flew itself across the Atlantic, following a series of programmed sequences. At dawn the following day, the C-54 reached the English coast and executed a perfect landing.
This excerpt is from an audiobook titled “The Glass Cage” by Nicholas Carr, which explores the future of automation, including topics like robots, self-driving cars, and digitized medicine. This book, along with many others, is available as an audiobook on Audible, allowing you to listen on the go. You can get your first audiobook, a 30-day trial, and two Audible originals for free by visiting Audible.com/PrimalSpace or texting Primal Space to 500 500.
With today’s technology, an aircraft capable of taking off and landing autonomously is certainly feasible. However, creating a fully automated aircraft that can handle every unexpected scenario while maintaining the same safety standards as a human pilot is much more challenging. Additionally, our airline infrastructure is so developed that to completely replace pilots, each airplane would need to navigate between the gate and the runway while communicating with every other plane at the airport. In simple terms, if Boeing were to introduce a pilotless airliner tomorrow, it would likely cause significant concern among regulatory authorities.
Since the beginning of spaceflight, rockets have always operated under their own guidance systems. When dealing with high speeds and altitudes, computers can guide rockets into orbit with much greater precision than humans. The advantages of automated systems become even clearer when examining the landing of the Falcon 9. Since the rocket has a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 1 during landing, it must perform a “suicide burn,” which involves firing the engines at the last possible moment. Activating the engines too early will slow the rocket down before it reaches the ground, while activating them too late will prevent it from slowing down in time. As the rocket descends, its onboard computers continuously measure altitude and speed to determine the optimal moment to ignite the engines. Achieving perfect timing is akin to trying to pause a video at exactly zero.
Although the Falcon 9 can land with remarkable accuracy, it relies heavily on GPS to guide it to a predetermined landing spot. This reliance on GPS will not be possible for future missions to Mars, as there is currently no GPS system around the planet to provide precise location data. In 2022, SpaceX plans to send a cargo mission to Mars using their new Starship rocket. In the future, it’s conceivable that SpaceX could establish landing pads on the Martian surface and operate a constellation of satellites to provide Mars with its own GPS. However, for the initial missions, Starship will need to analyze the terrain in real-time and select a suitable landing spot autonomously. This is one of the few scenarios where human input may be more valuable than computer algorithms.
During the landing of Apollo 11, the onboard computers directed the Lunar Module toward a field of boulders. Unaware of the potential danger, Neil Armstrong had to take control of the Lunar Module and guide it to a clear area. For Starship’s landing on Mars, it could utilize artificial vision with multiple onboard cameras designed to avoid rough terrain and ensure a safe landing on flat ground. Another proposed solution is to deploy a series of small transponders near the landing site to create a localized GPS. At least three of these transponders could communicate with Starship and accurately determine its position, guiding it to the landing site. Regardless, the first Starship landing on Mars will undoubtedly be a tense yet thrilling event!
Aviation – The design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. – The university’s aviation program includes courses on aerodynamics and aircraft maintenance.
Rockets – Vehicles or devices propelled by the reaction of exhaust gases expelled at high speed from a rocket engine. – The engineering students successfully launched a small rocket as part of their final project.
Automation – The use of technology to perform tasks without human intervention, often to improve efficiency and accuracy. – Automation in manufacturing has significantly increased production rates and reduced errors.
Spaceflight – The act of traveling in outer space, typically involving spacecraft or satellites. – The seminar on spaceflight covered the challenges of long-duration missions to other planets.
Pilots – Individuals who operate the controls of an aircraft, guiding it through the air. – The aviation school trains pilots to handle various types of aircraft under different conditions.
Guidance – The process of directing the path or course of a vehicle, especially in navigation and control systems. – Advanced guidance systems are crucial for the precise landing of spacecraft on distant celestial bodies.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry and engineering. – The rapid advancement of technology has revolutionized the way we approach problem-solving in engineering.
Mars – The fourth planet from the Sun, often a focus of exploration due to its potential for past or present life. – The rover mission to Mars aims to analyze soil samples for signs of microbial life.
Systems – Complex networks of components that work together to perform a specific function, often found in engineering and computing. – The course on control systems teaches students how to design and analyze feedback loops in engineering applications.
Aircraft – Any vehicle capable of atmospheric flight, including airplanes, helicopters, and gliders. – The new aircraft design incorporates lightweight materials to improve fuel efficiency and performance.
