[DPB101]

More disappointed than a grouch. The net teems with unmmaned vs manned debates. I thought, first, I would learn something by introducing the subject and, secondly, a good debate would interest more people in the subject and keep the thread alive. So far, I've learned I must be smoking dope (told this twice), I am a "wimp", my comments are suspect because I registered to post this month and I make typos.

Your comments were humorous tho....

:-)

It was the totality of it which prompted me to take it out on you. Maybe someone else (who has been here longer) will introduce the debate on the next space thread and I can hid in the weeds.

[RightWhale]

The instant someone mentions robotic exploration of space the image of Sagan pops up. He is the man who killed the space program, and his agitation for using robots to the exclusion of human beings, for whatever reason, is why there is no moon base, no Mars base, no asteroid mining, no private property rights in outer space, and why people think we never went to the moon at all but Planet X is coming to knock us on the head. Sagan ===> Space Aliens.

That's how it is. Let me just ask, if we aren't going to go into space ourselves and build settlements, why bother sending robots?

[Paul Ross]

You will find many, if not most of the space enthusiasts, do actually want to go forward with both manned and unmanned for the reasons already outlined by the others here...with the emphasis on the ultimate point...getting Man out there. The L-5 Society and High Frontier have nothing on us (heck a lot of 'em are here). A good source for information in the field is at SpaceFuture.com Give it a try and then come back when you have a "Thus Spake Zarathustra" Moment to share!