If you've heard the arguments about whether it's better to send robots or humans on space missions, get ready for them to intensify: There are whole varieties of subarguments.
The subject doesn't impact our everyday life, at least not at the moment, but think long-term, people. We can't stay on the third rock from the sun forever. It's soon going to be time to move. Someone, or something — robots — are going to have to go check out the options.
Robots are much cheaper to send into space, say the pro-robo lobby. That's true. No one denies that the safety requirements necessary to send humans to Mars or the moon do make it far more expensive, but the pro-human lobby say we can adapt to unexpected situations: We are smarter. Plus, a human mission inspires the public more. So it's better to send humans. U.S. President Barack Obama seems to agree: Last month he announced that the United States would send humans to Mars by the mid 2030s.