– but from your viewpoint they are a complementary
necessity if humans are to reach out and touch the
stars one day.
journey to the closest star to explore the worlds that we
are now just finding exist around those. I think we need
both. Because I don’t believe as humans we will ever
be able to accomplish our destiny without the aid of
robots. And I don’t believe it is an accomplishment for
humanity fully unless we send ourselves.”
ADAMS: “We did not send humans to the Moon without
robotic precursor missions. People tend to forget that
we sent the Ranger and Surveyor missions to the Moon
first. The first lunar landers were robots. They were crude RS: With colonizing Mars and eventually journeying
robots, but they told us about the surface and what to the Stars the ultimate goal, is the need for new
we could expect. We could might not have been propulsion systems greater now than at any point in the
successful on Apollo if we had not sent robots first.
last three decades?
Today, robots are a lot more capable. You look at
what Robonaut can do, or the Curiosity rover, or one of ADAMS: “I think that’s right. We need forward thinkers.
our spacecraft in orbit around Mercury or Mars, or the We need people that can conceive of ideas, run
New Horizons probe on its way to Pluto. Or even the experiments and decide that this is a viable new way
satellites we have orbiting the Earth. Those are all robots of looking at things. We need physicists that are going
today. They are unmanned and much more capable to challenge the fundamental laws of physics and
than the early ones that we launched. However, they say ‘well is warp drive possible?’ We need people be
are still robots. They don’t carry the cognizance and thinking about that without getting laughed out of a
room. I think it is possible that people could at least
the presence the human being does.
begin to contemplate those sorts of ideas.
As an example, Spirit and Opportunity
And along the way we’ll learn stuff.
are the two rovers that landed using
We may not ever accomplish warp
airbags on Mars in January 2004.
drive, but along the way we will
Spirit lasted seven years even
learn about moving around
though it was designed for 90
I believe human
the solar system.”
days. And Opportunity is still
beings someday will be living
going. Yet, Steve Sqyures,
RS: With the convenience
the principal investigator
on Mars and looking outward
of modern technology,
for those missions, said that
answers to almost any
everything those rovers
into the solar system wondering
question are just seconds
accomplished
could
away via a web search.
how they could put a space
have been accomplished
The need to understand
by humans on the surface
station in orbit around Saturn or
how something works and
of Mars in about a week.
to be able to fix it yourself
And so it’s an important
Jupiter … and ultimately journey is becoming a rarer trait in
thing to remember that
today’s disposable economy.
to the closest star.
robots are still robots. There is
Encouraging children to learn
nothing that beats the presence
problem solving skills may be
of a human brain in order to make
harder now than at any time in the
judgments and decisions on the spot in
past, but why is it still a necessity to try?
a new environment. That’s the first reason why
I think we need to see a blend of robots and humans.
ADAMS: “I think one of the most important lessons for
The second reason is I really believe it is humanity’s a child today is what happens when the cell phone
destiny to move off this planet. We aren’t going to do doesn’t work? What do you do? What is a pay phone?
it without the help of robots. Humanity someday will Or if the microwave ceases to function, how do you
move toward the stars. We’ve started already, we cook on a stove? You ask these questions and people
have a constant presence in space with human beings come to appreciate the technology in their lives. I think
aboard the International Space Station. I am hopeful there will be a few, not everybody, but a few that will
that very soon we will have a constant presence of want to know how that works.
human beings deeper into space. We have to conquer
I believe most human beings are curious and it
a lot of things in order to be able to do that. Like living is just a matter of catching the kids at the right age
in space with the radiation, and being able to move and ask wouldn’t you like to know how your Nintendo
around and communicate back home, and deciding DS actually functions? It’s fun playing the game but
what to do when you are short on resources, and that how about if you wanted to be part of the team that
sort of thing.
designs the next game system? I think that challenges
But in fact, I believe human beings someday will people. How would you get by if you didn’t have the
be living on Mars and looking outward into the solar technology? And what do you think you need to know
system wondering how they could put a space station if you want to help make the next one? Those I think are
in orbit around Saturn or Jupiter … and ultimately valuable questions for kids.”
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