Andrew's point is taken. But human exploration requires so much technology just to make space survivable that there are huge ancillary payoffs. At the end of t

Andrew's point is taken. But human exploration requires so much technology just to make space survivable that there are huge ancillary payoffs. At the end of the day, space is R&D. We can develop (and have developed) wonderful robotic missions and we should absolutely continue to do so. But we owe it to the world and ourselves to continue to research safer and cheaper ways to get humans to space. Eventually, there will be cities up there, and a trip to the moon or an orbital station will be just a bit more complex than a flight from London to Tokyo. But it's not going to happen without the necessary hard work and financial investment up front. Also worth noting -- if we (U.S.) don't do it, China is still planning to put humans on the moon. We can watch and admire, or we can be in the race. Which would you rather?