that we're laying the foundation for our children and their children to leave the planet someday" (qtd. in Stenger 3). .
Manned space flight has always had its critics. Even now, there is debate over what the goals of manned exploration are. Some feel that manned exploration is a waste of money and that robots could do the same job for a fraction of the cost (Brown 2). Yet the important thing is to be there. As Marc Buie said, "Manned missions are about expanding the boundaries of the human presence and experience" (qtd. in Stenger 4). Manned exploration is all about the human need to explore the unknown. "Observations might scan the heavens for distant planets. And probes might visit shrouded moons to find what lurks beneath. But for some nothing can replace the human experience beyond the confines of Earth" (Stenger 4). .
"I personally that to keep thriving, the human race must go on expanding and exploring new frontiers. If we are doomed to remain on this planet, we will eventually die out" (Marc Buie, qtd. in Stenger 4). Manned exploration is about discovering what lies beyond the next hill more than it is about making scientific breakthroughs. "You don't say, I will accept an increased risk so I can collect one particular piece of scientific data. You accept the risks for the sake of exploration, which is what's going to provide resources to use and places to live for our babies and grandbabies" (Don Pettit, qtd. in Stenger 3).
One benefit of the manned space program was that they were able to repair the Hubble space telescope and improve its vision. Before the maintenance, it was merely a floating piece of space junk, but now it is a scientific treasure (Stenger 3). Even if manned space exploration isn't reasonable, astronauts will still be needed to perform repairs of our vast web of orbiting satellites that provide us with television programing and long range communication (Krauthammer 1).
