Not people send robots to Mars

To avoid this, the fate of & # 39; space & # 39; humanity can & # 39; fabulous ending less similar in the future and more holiday caravan in the desert – and one where the caravan is buried b & # 39; permanently meters below & # 39; Martian dirt (to protect against cancer -kura & # 39; radiation) and can & # 39; just go out for a few days maximum, because space will not protect you from the rays.

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And also, who knows x & # 39; Are the effects really long life term in & # 39; of & # 39; low gravity environment can & # 39; extraterrestri be for these expatriates. Even without the uncertainties, the currently known risks mean a trip to Mars to break the current safety guidelines for NASA astronauts.

Now there is a simple solution to all these problems. But how do you feel about these words: "One small step for a robot, a quantum leap for mankind"? Rather than joining people to colonize the Kosmos, we can send the bot. Today's generation would fail to replace humans, of course, but NASA is not planning to go in & # 39; Mars until mid-2030 – and when one judge from history, then x & # time 39, is likely to slip anyway. Meanwhile, the robot technology is advancing with & # 39; a rapid rate: dropped & # 39; only "Boston Dynamics humanoid robot" into Google and take a look. Imagine what human robots may be able at the time of & # 39; two or three decades.

Reffuttal common is: but to send men and women is much more & # 39; inspiration for humanity. After all, we have all sorts & # 39; to transport to the Moon & # 39; Neil and Buzz, to live vicariously through them. (In addition to those who simply felt transported to fake study & # 39; Moon Hollywood.) But we do not really irrelataw & # 39; much less as human robots to make those pictures of pocket & # 39; pioneer in Martian dust?

I do not think with fast wheels machinery such as NASA Curiosity, ongoing from Mars; or Insight Lander touching tomorrow nor walk; more relatable think robots like, say, C-3PO from Star Wars – though perhaps its version 2.0 with & # 39; update the software courage. Really, they were pictures & # 39; television quality returned from the Moon that made us feel that we have been there. The same can & # 39; be turned back from Mars.

As the pilgrims mechanical colonizing the new world not only safer, but much, much cheaper. Each launch & # 39; those space trucks carrying the man, for example, used to cost half a billion dollars. (And there were over half a dozen launches a year at & # 39; times!) But the Curiosity mission cost just 300 million per year. The gears are cheaper because they are disposable and requirements of & # 39; support and safety of life are so low. They will fly to space and low gravity.

NASA is currently developing humanoid robots for space exploration – officially known as their robonaut program – but the current plan is that only the hired help. Maybe we can all realize our dreams Martian advance if we promoted the helpers to the hero.

Graham Phillips has a PhD in astrophysics and is a science journalist.