Why Robots Explore First
Robotic missions:
Are cheaper than human missions
Can survive extreme environments
Operate for decades
Go places humans canāt yet reach
Famous Robotic Missions
Voyager 1 & 2: Exploring interstellar space
Cassini: Studied Saturn and its moons
Perseverance: Searching for signs of ancient life on Mars
Rosetta: Orbited and landed on a comet
What Robots Teach Us
Robots have:
Mapped planets in detail
Discovered subsurface oceans
Identified organic molecules
Helped assess habitability
They pave the way for future human missions.
Key Takeaways
Robots lead exploration
Long-duration missions are common
Discoveries reshape our understanding