A Giant Leap: Robots or Astronauts?

A professor of physics at the University of Maryland by the name of Bob Park, believes that using telerobots for space exploration is a better solution then sending humans. Telerobots are controlled from the ground by humans and are a better use of resources according to Park. He believes that sending more astronauts to Mars is an enormous waste of money, and when astronauts do arrive on Mars, there isn't much they can do locked in space suits. The only sense available to astronauts is sight and he believes we can build robots with much better eyes then humans.

So, do we send men to Mars or robots (which we are already doing)? According to Park, "Sense of adventure is the only thing going for manned space travel, but it is time to have a grown-up attitude to adventure. If you want adventure, go bungee jumping." And, because of programs like Google Sky, people can still experience the thrill of watching space exploration from their computer via virtual telescopes, without NASA having to send astronauts to Mars and beyond. Using robots and telescopes are not necessarily exciting and mind-boggling, but it is a better value for money.