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Firstly, I want to say that I'd be the first person with their hand up when asked, "So who wants to go to space?". There's nothing I'd love more than to go.

But from looking at the amount of Technology on the Curiosity rover it seems that we shouldn't bother using astronauts. Is it right to say that until mankind find/creates a habitable planet within our reach, shouldn't we just leave it to the robots to do the donkey work?

I'm sure in some cases a robot is even preferred. After all, the only thing that ages is their battery (which is solar powered) and they don't have to worry about things like breathing, mental disorders from prolonged isolation, biological issues from gravity changes or fear of the unknown.

Though a robot doesn't have intuition or common sense the person controlling it does.

Why risk human lives when a robot can be made to do it instead?

EDIT

So with all the above in mind:

What can today's astronauts do better than the Curiosity rover?

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  • $\begingroup$ Would you please consider rephrasing the question to be more on topic? Perhaps something along the lines of the cost involved in constructing and sending a habitat along with a cosmonaut ... $\endgroup$
    – Everyone
    Sep 17, 2013 at 8:21
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    $\begingroup$ This is an extremely broad and primarily opinion-based question that might solicit debate, and is as such not a good fit for our Q&A format. Please, see if you could edit your question to be more specific and can be sufficiently addressed in reasonably long answers. Thanks! $\endgroup$
    – TildalWave
    Sep 17, 2013 at 9:04
  • $\begingroup$ I think that solves the opinion-based issues. Right? $\endgroup$
    – Robert English
    Sep 17, 2013 at 10:27
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    $\begingroup$ @RobertEnglish It's still incredibly broad, and I'm not too sure the edit removes the chance of gathering predominantly opinion-based answers. If you're after answers drawing broad strokes to paint the picture and not delve into detail or be specific at all, then I guess that ought to be permissible, but you should mention that somewhere in your question. Please also edit the title and the rest of the body to reflect any changes in its meaning that you attached to its end. I'd do it myself, but considering you'll probably edit it again, I'd like to avoid unnecessary minor edit revisions. ;) $\endgroup$
    – TildalWave
    Sep 17, 2013 at 11:26
  • $\begingroup$ “Hey, look !” This is one thing a robot cannot do. $\endgroup$
    – Nicolas Barbulesco
    Nov 26, 2013 at 23:54

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