| Risks
and Benefits |
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| Robotic exploration can give us a
great deal of information about a planet. Why should we risk sending humans
when we have robots? Make a list
of the reasons why you think it is important to send humans to explore and perhaps one day
colonize Mars. Then make a list of things that people can do that robots can’t, like
making split-second decisions or using human perceptions and experiences to fix something
or to choose to do an experiment on the spot. Think about all of the hazards you learned
about in this lesson. Which of these hazards can also affect robots and machines? Which
are solely human factors? The cost of sending humans to Mars is another factor to consider in addition to the many risks involved. When a mission includes humans, the primary mission changes to one of "getting the astronauts home safely." All of the scientific objectives become secondary to this one. Many scientists believe that it is better to save money and just send more robotic missions to learn about the planets and moons in our solar system. Think about this argument. Talk to your parents, teachers, and friends about how they feel. You will use this information to write your assignment. The human element is the most complex element of mission design. Not only will these missions pose significant physiological challenges to the crew but psychological challenges as well. A significant amount of engineering design for life support systems must be done before we can attempt to include humans on such a mission. The long-duration stays on board the International Space Station will help us to learn how astronauts can prepare both physically and psychologically for a trip to Mars. For more discussion on human versus robotic exploration and the strengths and weaknesses of each check out this link. |
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