Both nonsense reasons to spend a fortune on sending Man into space. Pap for the public, rather than reason.

It seems to me that if we are faced with the choice of a slow, expensive sexy manned program with minimal science and a faster, cheaper unmanned program with good science and lots of it, the choice is simple. Go with the unmanned program. Get the science.

It's true that in the isolated instance Man can do things a machine can't. It's also true that a machine can do a lot a man can't. And it's true the first thing Man wants when he gets someplace is more machines.

After the ISS and Shuttle debacles, I'm thinking that manned spaceflight is a waste of time and money.

However, Man has always wanted to pump up his ego, and there's nothing like wasting money to do that.

Arf