Article Link: Neil deGrasse Tyson’s: Only humans can truly explore space via http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/neil-degrasse-tyson-only-humans-can-truly-explore-space
This article contains reprinted text from Neil deGrasse Tyson’s book, Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier. It explains that from a scientific perspective, humans are unnecessary in the exploration of space or other worlds. It is also financially less costly to use unmanned systems instead of humans. However, Tyson explains that there are tangible and even intangible benefits to pursuing discovery in space using humans. I agree with Tyson’s point of view. If you remove humans from the equation of space exploration and space travel completely, for the sake of safety or financial gain, it will have negative repercussions on the creative growth and meaningful impact of these great endeavors. Focusing creativity in a way that separates humans from space exploration takes more than just the human out of it. It could also limit the growth and cause lengthy delays in potential advances in technology and space exploration.
Presently, unmanned systems allow for the exploration of space. Unmanned systems survive and function in inhospitable environments where humans cannot. Parallel with advances in technology, exploration using unmanned systems is also currently very slow progressing and tedious. These systems, largely dependent and programmed to follow the commands of humans safely on Earth, perform tasks on delays caused by radio signals travelling large distances and the time it takes for humans to analyze scenarios and decide what movements or commands to issue next. Simple problems that humans could overcome quickly become complex problems that take much longer for unmanned systems. For example, in a hypothetical scenario, there is a series of rocks blocking a route on Mars. A human explorer could simply see the rocks and step over them or move around them in real time. Because there’s unlikely to be any ways to repair a damaged or overturned unmanned system on Mars, human operators using an unmanned system would be forced to take the least risky option and find a path around this simple obstacle. As Neil deGrass Tyson writes, “People notice the unexpected, react to unforeseen circumstances, and solve problems in ways that robots cannot.” Tyson doesn’t argue that we should use humans instead of unmanned systems to explore space. He explains that humans and unmanned systems should explore space together. Tyson writes “Unaided by some kind of equipment, a person cannot grind down the surface of a rock; that’s why a field geologist carries a hammer. Almost all the science likely to be done in an alien environment would be done by some piece of equipment.” Unmanned systems are tools that humans can use to aid them in the purpose of space exploration.
Intangibly, sending humans to explore space while taking great risks is often what stirs a sense of awe, adventure and wonderment in people. The very idea of humans in space, plants the seeds that causes people to devote themselves to these pursuits. Some of the most popular fictional stories, like Star Wars and Star Trek are based on humans exploring space. Tyson writes, “Many of my colleagues assert that plenty of science can be done without putting people in space. But if they were kids in the 1960s, and you ask what inspired them to become scientists, nearly every one (at least in my experience) will cite the high-profile Apollo program.” Tyson is explaining here that the people who advance the cause of space exploration today were once motivated by the idea of humans going to or exploring space, to accomplish things that were once thought very difficult, even impossible. Some brilliant minds even suggest that the survival of humanity is dependent on our exploration and travel into space. Stephen Hawking declared that "Robotic missions are much cheaper and may provide more scientific information, but they don't catch the public imagination in the same way, and they don't spread the human race into space, which I'm arguing should be our long-term strategy. If the human race is to continue for another million years, we will have to boldly go where no one has gone before” (Shiga, 2008).
Sending humans to explore space and maintaining a human presence there requires humans to conquer great and costly technological hurdles. It also forces humans to face the risk of death and the unknown. Unmanned systems will play a necessary role in space exploration. However, humans facing and developing solutions to conquer the risks of space exploration carries with it an important part of humanity that has led us from out of caves and into orbit. I don’t believe we should all of a sudden make the decision to stop there for the sake of comfort or safety.
References:
National Post Staff (2013, August 27). Neil deGrasse Tyson: Only humans can truly explore space. Retrieved September 11, 2015 from http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/neil-degrasse-tyson-only-humans-can-truly-explore-space
Shiga, D. (2008, April 1). Stephen Hawking calls for Moon and Mars colonies. Retrieved September 11, 2015.