The Next Leap In Space Exploration

An anonymous reader writes "The crew of the space shuttle Endeavor recently returned to Earth as ambassadors, harbingers of a new era of space exploration. Scientists at NASA are saying that the recent assembly of the Dextre bot is the first step in a long-term space-based man/machine partnership. '"The work we're doing now -- the robotics we're doing -- is what we're going to need to do to build any work station or habitat structure on the moon or Mars," said Allard Beutel, a spokesman for NASA. "Yes, this is just the beginning." Further joint human-robot projects will "be a symbiotic relationship. It's part of a long-term effort for us to branch out into the solar system. We're going to need this type of hand-in-robotic-hand [effort] to make this happen. We're in the infancy of space exploration. We have to start somewhere and this is as good a place as any."'"

Yup!

[maillemaker]

Wouldn't it be cool to launch your robotic servants to Mars long before humans went, and remotely control them (or not) to build the infrastructure for us before we arrive?

Silent Running... 1972

[h.ross.perot]

Huey, Dewey and Louie would be proud..

Standing on the shoulders of giants

[Thanshin]

"The crew of the space shuttle Endeavor recently returned to Earth as ambassadors, harbingers of a new era of space exploration. Scientists at NASA are saying that the recent assembly of the Dextre bot is the first step in a long-term space-based man/machine partnership. '"The work we're doing now -- the robotics we're doing -- is what we're going to need to do to build any work station or habitat structure on the moon or Mars," said Allard Beutel, a spokesman for NASA. "Yes, this is just the beginning." Further joint human-robot projects will "be a symbiotic relationship. It's part of a long-term effort for us to branch out into the solar system. We're going to need this type of hand-in-robotic-hand [effort] to make this happen. We're in the infancy of space exploration. We have to start somewhere and this is as good a place as any."'""

Am I paranoid or you too feel some dismissal of previous work.

Re:Maybe I am in a bad mood today but..

[geekoid]

". I feel like it happens quite late,"
Is there some sort of galactic timetable only you are aware of? I'm not sure how it is 'late'.

" quite slowly,"
Compared tt other Man/Robotic space missions nobody else is aware of?"

" costs too much"
Compared to...?

"and still is underfunded."
Remember: Fast friendly and free.. no that's not the one...
Fast, inexpensive, High Quality, pick two. That's the one!

Yes, I would love them to get a lot more money, and be able to do more research in any given time frame.
Human/Robot missions is the next logical(to me) step. I would love to see the Robots/Human in space argument end. It's stupid and pointless.

Re:Maybe I am in a bad mood today but..

[ArcherB]

What fills us with the need to go f*#k up another planet?

Since man is a 100% natural product of the earth, so is anything man does. In other words, IF this planet is f*#ked up by our doing, and we are natural product of the earth itself, the earth has f*#ked itself up, naturally.

Besides, even if we are responsible for this planet, I think we are doing a much better job with Earth than mother nature has done with any other planet in the system.

Re:Space 1999

[Kevin Stevens]

- NASA is VASTLY underfunded, with it's funding being cut on key projects year by year

NASA's budget is around $16 billion dollars, which is more than Jordan's entire GDP and about another 100 countries as well according to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal) [wikipedia.org]

We spend more on rockets than entire countries produce in a year. $16 billion dollars is a lot of money no matter how you look at it. I am a geek, and space exploration is good and all, but I think $16 billion is more than enough to spend thanks. Remember, this is not imaginary money, this is your money coming out of YOUR paycheck every month. Personally I would rather see some of that money spent on developing alternative energy technologies. NASA's funding in real dollars is less than its 1966 peak where it had a stated mission of going to the moon and an unstated mission of developing ICBM technology, but NASA is actually receiving funding (in real terms) that is well above its 1980's levels, and on par with most of the 1990's.

Do you realize that NASA has some of the best PR people in the planet? If anyone dares to suggest even a budget increase that is not to their liking, immediately a press release is sent out about how one of the cheaper and most successful missions is "unfortunately going to have to be cut off. budget cuts you know?" If things started getting a little tight in your town's government, is the first thing they turn off the water supply? F no. If your mayor suggested that he would be run out of office and possibly hanged. Nobody even blinks when NASA does this though. NASA plays slashdotters who are supposed to be smarter than that like fiddles.

Next time you read an article about how they have to eliminate the voyager project that only costs about $4million dollar a year and has been running for 20+ years as the probes exit the solar system ask yourself if there are really competent people running the show or maybe they are just saying this to grab some headlines and stir up outrage.