UK Considering Human Based Space Exploration

I was scanning through the BBC News Site as I always do each day and came across a interesting article which I think people might like to read.

BBC News Link

British astronomers are seeking your views on the merits of sending humans to visit the Moon or Mars.

The Royal Astronomical Society has set up a commission to investigate whether the UK should break with tradition by funding human spaceflight.

The panel for the commission is made up of three independent experts:
- Professor Frank Close (Particle physicist at Oxford University)
- Professor Ken Pounds (Astrophysicist at the University of Leicester.)
- Dr John Dudeney (Member of the British Antarctic Survey)

In the past the UK has prefered to support the use of robotic space ventures mainly due to cost reasons, which is shown in the article by the mention of the ESA (European Space Agency) wanting to send a robotic spaceship to Mars ahead of human missions.

So why you ask is the UK considering changing its tune when its been so against using humans to explore rather than machines.
The answer is simple, humanity dreams of that which is beyond our current confines:

Some believe only human spaceflight can truly capture the imagination of the general public, and have the adaptability to take missions that extra mile.

We feel detached from missions that are simply machines exploring for us, the missions are souless in a way without a member of the human race being there, and technology far more advanced than in the past the dream in theory could be a reality if money and backing are found.

However there is a reason that the UK has backed robotic exploring, humans aren't put in danger and they don't get lonely or require air to breath.

I'll leave you with a quote from Dr John Dudeney:

it is important to consider what robots are capable of doing now, then think forward to what they might be able to do in 10 or 15 years' time.

Technology is moving at amazing speeds, is there really any need for humans to take the driving seat in exploring space?

Related News Stories:

BBC News Link: UK aims to be major space player

BBC News Link: Europe has lander goal for Mars



[edit on 16-6-2005 by UK Wizard]

we need human space systems to be developed now ,
I like to go , have to go in to space .

AND If contacting alien life we are not doing it with robots or space probes. no we want face to face contact.. and if you have to develop life support systems later on it wil be to short a time and it will be much more expansive.

United Nations bashing is fashionable these days, but what we really need is an international co-operative effort in space. If the Brits want to go it alone, Godspeed to them- but I hope someday humanity will look up to the evening sky, see a shooting star and recognize a common enemy it needs to defeat as a world community. Man is a quantum leap above machine in cognitive ability, and will remain so. The more humans in space, the better.

Good luck my brothers.

If I lived in the UK, I'd vote Yay.

I would love too see maned british space missions, however a don't see it being puled off solely by the UK but more by a newly-envigerated ESA (like hell) as the cost would be astronomical (Ok bad pun, I know). I know that some people would be against it for a strew of reasons,that is if it was publicly funded, however a private enterprise would not face such a problem since no-one would care about how much it costs, but the environmental lobby might get a little upset by it all.

Either way i would be 110% behind it.