re: I'm not so sure for the Moon...
There is definitely a role for telepresence on the Moon, and I'm frankly surprised that a lot more hasn't been done in this area.
I believe there's also a niche for telepresence on Mars, operated from large manned stations in Mars orbit. In fact, until we know for sure exactly what's going on biologically, it may be the best way to get a lot done, and is a bit cheaper than manned landings.
Not really worried about an astronaut getting the Andromeda Strain, but radiation and oxidizers notwithstanding, I am a little worried about Earth cooties getting loose on Mars.