@Lynx you‘re a Linux guy right?
So, some basic parameters when you sent out a probe in deep space would be:
1. Seek life .
A terabyte of code here defining what Life is.
2. IF you find life, then OBSERVE and report back.
3. Self-repair.
When we sent out voyagers we used a plutonium engine, but they may have better mechanisms such as solar, nuclear or more exotic stuff like quantum drives etc when the robots travel in deep space.