NASA selected a data visualization and simulation software package used by Mars rovers and landers, and a software package that can be used in aerospace and industrial flow fluid applications, as the "best of the best" software developed by the agency this year.

The "Science Activity Planner" (SAP), developed by a team of experts at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., combines cutting-edge visualization with sophisticated planning and simulation capabilities to provide an intuitive interface to Mars rovers and landers. It is a multi-mission, multi-purpose tool that has achieved three simultaneous successes in mission operations, public outreach and technology development.

The software comes in two versions. The first is used in mission operations and contains the official mission activity dictionary. The second version was released under the name "Maestro" to the public, for education and outreach. Maestro includes additional training features that make it a more effective tool for public engagement.

The software is used heavily in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission on a daily basis. Scientists on the rover missions depend on SAP as their primary interface to the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. Every day, mission scientists and engineers use SAP to plan the next actions of the rovers and analyze the data arriving from Mars. The software has completed over 350 Mars days of successful mission operations of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers without a single critical failure and will continue to serve this role until the end of the mission. The SAP team leader is Jeffrey S. Norris of JPL.