>>14419036If you spent the budget of a Manned mission on robots, they would dig deep than any human then load the rocks unto unmanned return rockets to Earth.
>>14419035Apollo didn't have the technology for robot, they didn't even have processors. A single probe built today would have obtained all the data the entire Apollo program.
>remember that SpaceX is only developing reusable hardware specifically because that's what you need to make space settlement a viable projectDoing the good actions with the wrong priorities or even the wrong reason, don't make the actions wrong.
I said we didn't have the technological level to do anything relevant on Mars. Starship is no different, nowhere even close to an improvement even if it worked enough to get us to the Moon. Thinking otherwise only recreate the same situation that made SLS kill technological progress.
We need realistic goals with measurable improvement, not unsustainable PR stunt achieved with only the minimal technology.
>Space station research is only valuable in terms of human health effectsFirst that's false, Second this alone make it the far most valuable project you could start with. Even a permanent Lunar base don't come close.
It is beyond ridiculous to start a "permanent base" on Mars before we learn if it will condemn our astronaut to death.
Next, learning how to more efficiently design, transport and build a Pressurized-habitat in 0G while wearing spacesuit (or using remote robots) before we need to deal with gravity and dirt will make any further endeavor easier.
And don't get deluded by ISRU building either, we are nowhere close to using it for anything else than primal component like Air, Water, Fuel, and as anti-radiation protection.
We can't even FARM until we master biological engineering and closed cycle.
A Space Dock would also let us assemble rockets that can't fit inside a Starship fairing (yes it's possible)
TLDR;
Trying to skip steps is how we got into the previous dark age.
