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Space Exploration and Science
Jul. 9th, 2006 04:36 pmA bizarre dichotomy has developed between the backers of humans in space and those who support robot probes. The former have declared that space exploration can only be done by putting humans on the scene. The latter have declared that science can only be done through robots.
Come _on_ folks! This sort of synthesized polarization is exactly why politics as a whole in this country is in such a mess! Science - and I include exploration in that field - is supposed to be above this. Both sides need to sit down and admit that probes are cheaper and less fragile, and the tragedy is far less when a machine is lost, but that the machines can't do everything and sometimes you need a human on the job.
Don't believe me in re. the latter? Just ask the geologists on the Mars Exploration Rover probe teams for Spirit and Opportunity.
Come _on_ folks! This sort of synthesized polarization is exactly why politics as a whole in this country is in such a mess! Science - and I include exploration in that field - is supposed to be above this. Both sides need to sit down and admit that probes are cheaper and less fragile, and the tragedy is far less when a machine is lost, but that the machines can't do everything and sometimes you need a human on the job.
Don't believe me in re. the latter? Just ask the geologists on the Mars Exploration Rover probe teams for Spirit and Opportunity.
