[jyl]

I think NASA is doing good work with robotic probes. The failure rate kind of makes sense considering these are all one-time missions. The manned missions had plenty of failures too, in the early test launches. With the probes, the mission is the test.

The trouble with the manned Moon or Mars mission is the purpose, or lack of same. In my gut I'd like to see us go to Mars, but my head keeps asking - why? What can a man do there, in however long he can stay on Mars after a year's flight, that is so much better than what a robotic explorer can do? Or, considering the cost of a manned Mars mission, 20 or 30 robotic explorers? As for returning to the Moon, even my gut isn't coming up with much enthusiasm for that one. What's the point?