"The benefits of going to the moon are clear. Detailed exploration will give us important clues about the formation of the solar system, and by implication about the history of exoplanets orbiting other stars throughout the cosmos."
"Today, astronauts could still prove useful, despite the difficulties of keeping them alive and productive. But a decade from now, the advantage could swing towards robots: able to work around the clock, comparatively inexpensive, and not requiring replacement for many years or even decades."
"Robots on Mars such as Curiosity and Perseverance have performed almost flawlessly for many years, requiring nothing but sunshine for their operations. These marvellous machines steadily improve their capabilities, while humans, who demand oxygen, food and shelter, do not."
The 2020s have revived the Apollo spirit, with the US and China competing to send humans to the moon and Mars. NASA's Artemis program has seen expenditures nearing $100 billion, with Congress allocating $9.9 billion for upcoming missions. The moon offers benefits for solar system exploration and serves as a stable platform for telescopes. While astronauts are currently valuable, robots may become more advantageous in the future due to their cost-effectiveness and operational longevity, raising questions about the necessity of human presence in space exploration.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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