Lawrence Krauss extols robots over humans for space science

New York Times : With passion in a Science Times essay, theoretical physicist and science popularizer Lawrence Krauss celebrates robotically conducted space science as far more thrilling, worthwhile, and cost-effective than manned exploration. He calls the presidential candidates “bland and predictable” concerning space, and silent about exploration’s scientific benefits. He reports being inspired by Hubble Space Telescope images, and being “in love with” the Mars rover Curiosity and “excited” by its dramatic landing. He envisions robotic exploration on comets and in “deep oceans on Jupiter’s moon Europa,” and asserts that 99% of astronauts’ cost “involves keeping them alive and getting them back, leaving precious little for science.” He acknowledges that “a human geologist could do in a few days what Curiosity may do in a year or two,” but argues that Curiosity can stay many times longer and that for future exploration, advances in robotics might soon nullify the human’s advantages anyway.