• From the contentsPart I Background.- Introduction.- Direction of New Space Missions.- Overview of Flight and Ground Software.- Flight vs. Ground Implementation.- Flight Autonomy Evolution.- Current Levels of Flight Automation/Autonomy.-Ground Autonomy Evolution.- Agent Concept Testbed.- Part II Technology.- Core Technologies for Developing Autonomous and Autonomic Systems.- Reasoning with Partial Information.- Agent-based Spacecraft Autonomy Design Concepts.- Spacecraft Enabling Technologies.- Cooperative Autonomy.- Need for Cooperative Autonomy in Space Missions.- Autonomic Systems.- Overview of Autonomic Systems.- Part III Applications.- Intelligent Agents in Space Constellations.-  Swarms in Space Missions.- Swarm Technologies at NASA.- Concluding Remarks.- Future Missions.- Appendix A: Attitude and Orbit Determination and Control.- Appendix B: Operational Scenarios and Agent Interactions.- Acronyms.- Glossary.- References.- Index.

From the reviews: "Truszkowski (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) and colleagues have documented how NASA missions have become and will become more autonomous and automatic. ... The authors present several top-level examples along with ... helpful flowcharts. ... A thorough glossary and nearly 200 references provide a good basis for diving into more depth with other resources. This book would be a start for someone who is developing autonomous and automatic systems. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Professional audiences." (D. B. Spencer, Choice, Vol. 47 (11), July, 2010)