Illumination Invariant Image Matching for Lunar TRN
Noah Rothenberger, Georgios Georgakis, Yang Cheng, Adnan Ansar
AIAA SCITECH 2025

TL;DR This paper introduces two approaches for robust image matching under illumination variation: 1) A new correlation-based algorithm — the Lighting Invariant Matching Algorithm (LIMA), and 2) a novel application of deep learning for learning illumination invariant features.

Robotic Operations During Perseverance's First Extended Mission
Vandi Verma, Mark Maimone, Kyle Kaplan, Ellen Thiel, Noah Rothenberger, Joseph Carsten, Arturo Rankin, Ethan Schaler, Evan Graser, Nadya Balabanska, Stephen Kuhn, Harel Dor
IEEE Aerospace 2025

TL;DR The Perseverance rover’s operations team reports 30 km driven and 28 samples collected by sol 1266, including establishing the 10-tube Three Forks Sample Depot (Jan 28, 2023). The paper covers the rover’s climb onto the delta and subsequent terrains, autonomy and wheel-motor challenges, a Global Localization flight-software update enabling longer drives, energy-aware onboard planning, streamlined contact science and sampling, and an in-mission arm recalibration plus lifetime checks for the gas dust removal tool and drill. Together, these advances enabled a milestone: the first exploration of the floor of a large Martian river.

Lessons From Ingenuity's Climb Up Jezero Crater Delta
Joshua Anderson, Travis Brown, Martin Cacan, Gerik Kubiak, Ashkan Jasour, Noah Rothenberger
IEEE Aerospace 2024

TL;DR To tackle Jezero delta’s rocky channels, the Ingenuity team upgraded the helicopter’s flight software—adding hazard-aware landing and DEM-aided navigation—and validated it with checkout flights. Tight terrain forced Ingenuity to move in lockstep with Perseverance, accelerating cadence to under a week and managing limited telecom windows; the paper covers flights 34+ and lessons in rapid planning and multi-vehicle coordination.