re: #629 Cato the Elder

No - I never said that.

Everything that can be accomplished by hoo-rah manned missions can be done better and more cheaply with unmanned probes. Trying to build a factory on the moon supposedly to save money on lift-off expenses for fantasized trips to - where, exactly? - is your classic boondoggle.

I’m for smart exploration.

Until true AI is developed (something I think might not be possible, and if so might be a bad idea) any unmanned mission is limited in adapting to changes in mission parameters. Sometimes the reality is not what the engineers expect and you need a brain and a pair of eyes to deal with it.