Man on the moon? Ha! Japan to send robots!
7:35 AM * PERMALINK * 6 comments
Friday, April 03, 2009
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Comments:
I think this makes soo much more sense than sending a real person.
(Take Note NASA!)
create a robot that can move like a person,be controlled as easy as playstation, collect samples, do sciency things (its not like a person will be able to get out and touch or taste anything anyways). Then perfect the robots so they are cheaper and easier to manufacture. then eventually start turning them into GUNDAM style war machines }:D
Here Here! Robot warriors on the moon...
Very logical, I'm certain that many more countries will consider this the best option, especial;y since the economic downturn.
Robots don't require oxygen, food and waste management. Their main source of power is the Sun, so the costs of running them is the cost of maintaining communicating with them.
why not a robot that doesn't have to waste huge amounts of processing power just to balance? why not a four legged or--amazing idea!!!--a four wheeled robot? even 6 wheels would be cheaper than two legs
Pros: the biggest expense for sending people instead of robots is the cost of lifting all that infrastructure (the air, water, facilities, room to move around in, etc.) A robot wouldn't need any of those things.
Walking robots will be able to cover terrain that wheeled robots cannot. Take a look sometime at the probes on Mars. They move very slowly and have to choose their path very conservatively. However, a 4-legged robot might make a lot of sense (Big Dog comes to mind).
Cons: there is no substitute for intelligence. The Japanese have done some amazing things on the telepresence front, but it isn't the same as being there (yet). Humans are the ultimate flexible tool - which is why they are still so important on many assembly lines.
Power is required for humans or robots - but with a moon day being ~28 Earth days you won't be able to rely on solar unless you land near the terminator (sunrise) and have short mission.
You better hope they send along one of those "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up" devices.
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