Colonize Mars 1ac contention 1: Inherency



Download 481.88 Kb.
Page10/22
Date20.10.2016
Size481.88 Kb.
#5855
1   ...   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   ...   22

Human Exploration Key



Human exploration of Mars is key to all colonization initiatives

Levine et al Nov 2010 (Joel S., Senior Research Scientist NASA Langley Research Center, “Humans on Mars: Why Mars? Why Humans?”, http://journalofcosmology.com/Mars115.html)
4. Why Humans? Humans have unique capabilities for performing scientific measurements, observations and sample collecting. Human attributes to exploration include: intelligence, adaptability, agility, dexterity, cognition, patience, problem solving in real-time, in situ analyses - more science in less time! Humans are unique scientific explorers. Humans could obtain previously unobtainable scientific measurements on the surface of Mars. Humans possess the abilities to adapt to new and unexpected situations in new and strange environments, they can make real-time decisions, have strong recognition abilities and are intelligent. Humans could perform detailed and precise measurements of the surface, subsurface and atmosphere while on the surface of Mars with state-of–the-art scientific equipment and instrumentation brought from Earth. The increased laboratory ability on Mars that humans offer, would allow for dramatically more scientific return within the established sample return limits. The HEM-SAG envisions that the scientific exploration of Mars by humans would be performed as a synergistic partnership between humans and robotic probes, controlled by the human explorers on the surface of Mars. Robotic probes could explore terrains and features not suitable or too risky for human exploration. Under human control, robotic probes could traverse great distances from the human habitat covering distances/terrain too risky for human exploration and return rock and dust samples to the habitat from great distances. An important element of the HEM-SAG study has been to identity the unique capabilities that humans would bring to the process of exploring Mars. As a result, a common set of human traits emerged that would apply to exploration relating to the MEPAG science disciplines which include Geology, Geophysics, Atmosphere/Climate, and Biology/Life, These characteristics include: speed and efficiency to optimize field work; agility and dexterity to go places difficult for robotic access and to exceed currently limited degrees-of-freedom robotic manipulation capabilities; and most importantly the innate intelligence, ingenuity, and adaptability to evaluate real-time and improvise to overcome surprises while ensuring that the correct sampling strategy is in place to acquire the appropriate sample set.

Human exploration is key to resource mobilization and sustainable habitats

Levine et al Nov 2010 (Joel S., Senior Research Scientist NASA Langley Research Center, “Humans on Mars: Why Mars? Why Humans?”, http://journalofcosmology.com/Mars115.html)
Geology Human explorers can perform intelligent sample selection, real time assessment of site sampling progress and strategy development to optimize science return. Human explorers can perform drilling in environments difficult for core recovery (ice, sediments, other unconsolidated materials) without human involvement. Human explorers can perform rapid assessment of subsurface and sampling/trenching (efficiency factor). Geophysics Humans are likely to be far more efficient and skilled than robots in carrying out the careful emplacement of instruments, networks, and site surveys required to meet geophysical investigation goals and objectives. Even if rover-borne instrumentation is deployed telerobotically, that would require human oversight from the habitat. Some geophysics instrumentation must be deployed and then recovered following measurements (e.g., active seismic systems, or electromagnetic sensors). Humans would make this deployment/recovery process more efficient and perhaps even more carefully done, as well as providing instant gratification on the health and performance of the instruments.
Human exploration is key to terraforming Mars

Levine et al Nov 2010 (Joel S., Senior Research Scientist NASA Langley Research Center, “Humans on Mars: Why Mars? Why Humans?”, http://journalofcosmology.com/Mars115.html)
Atmosphere/Climate Human enabled investigations on Mars would benefit atmospheric, polar cap, and ancient climate science objectives in a variety of ways. Human dexterity and efficiency would be important qualities for micrometeorological investigations where activities such as radiosonde preparation and release are not yet automated on Earth due to the dynamic interaction with surface turbulence and winds. Cognitive ability, dexterity and efficiency would be necessary attributes in the search for relevant rock outcrops and samples, providing the ability to identify sources of trace gases for studies of current climate on Mars as well as locating pristine impact glasses containing trapped gasses for the study of ancient Mars climate. These unique human capabilities would be vital to deep drilling and coring activities. Touch and sound would be used to monitor the drill performance and respond rapidly to changing subsurface conditions.
Robot exploration can never replace human exploration

Ruff 2011 (Steven W. Ruff, Ph.D. School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, For Mars Exploration, Rovers are good, Humans are better, Journal of Cosmology, http://journalofcosmology.com/Mars151.html, 6-24-11, DS)
Spirit outlived even the wildest speculations about its lifespan, making possible the remarkable discoveries about the igneous, aqueous, and aeolian processes that shaped the landscape that it and we roamed. But despite these successes, I became painfully aware of the shortcomings of robotic exploration of Mars. In a word, it is cumbersome. It took years of painstaking effort to explore just those few square kilometers of Gusev crater. Many tens of humans had to participate to guide the rover along a path that was carefully chosen to maximize both safety and science potential. Although Spirit proved to be much more robust and capable than anyone imagined, its speed and mobility were limiting factors. And despite a science payload exquisitely adapted to the tasks it was designed for, surely we failed to recognize and understand important clues to the geologic history we came to investigate. The experience of exploring a planet with a rover is both incredibly exciting and rewarding and incredibly frustrating. It is science by committee modulated by engineering constraints. Many on the science team echoed the sentiment that a human geologist could have performed the years of exploration done by Spirit in just a few weeks or perhaps days. It's true that Spirit's amazing toolkit is still unavailable to a terrestrial field geologist. But simple tools combined with the eyes, hands, boots, and brain of a human far outstrip the capabilities of a rover, even those of the next generation Mars Science Laboratory. Given the impossibility of real- time interaction between a human and a robotic surrogate across the millions of kilometers separating Earth from Mars, robotic exploration will never replace what is achievable by humans. Here I am focused on the scientific achievements. The ones that arise from humanity expanding into the solar system, by definition, require humans. Robots should never be viewed as a substitute for humans directly experiencing another world. A one-way mission to Mars is a bold plan that could expedite the gathering of information about an endlessly fascinating place. The exciting possibility of finally learning whether life ever took hold beyond Earth is profound motivation to send human life there. With sufficient resources, skills, and knowledge, human explorers sent to Mars would be adept at exploring for alien life while preserving their own. In the process, the vicarious thrill and satisfaction that Earth- bound humans have experienced even from robotic missions, would be compounded in ways immeasurable. Given the trajectory of human exploration and settlement, it is not a question of whether Mars will become a target but when.



Download 481.88 Kb.

Share with your friends:
1   ...   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   ...   22




The database is protected by copyright ©ininet.org 2024
send message

    Main page