Case Study: NASA Optimizes Mars Rover Crew Scheduling with Workforce Optimizer

NASA - Customer Case Study

NASA partnered with Workforce Optimizer (WFO) to solve a highly complex scheduling challenge for the Mars Exploration Rover mission. The team had to roster more than 600 scientists and engineers across 38 operational roles, while accounting for multiple qualifications per person, fatigue management, rotating Mars time shifts, and staff working from locations around the world.

Workforce Optimizer implemented its AI-enabled workforce scheduling solution, using shift and task optimization, labor demand forecasting, policy tracking, analytics, and self-service tools to generate compliant rosters and manage workforce complexity. The platform helped NASA optimize schedules at massive scale, handling a problem with more than 3 million binary decision variables while improving productivity, reducing fatigue, and supporting staff satisfaction.

NASA