Send robots into space rather than people, says Britain's Astronomer Royal
Britain's Astronomer Royal Martin Rees said sending people into space when robots could do the job just as effectively was a waste of public money, and space exploration should be left to billionaires and those willing to pay for trips themselves. "I'm sceptical about the idea of a human space flight being worthwhile," Rees told the Lord Speaker's Corner podcast, which features members of Britain's upper house of parliament. Rees said space travel should only be for those prepared to accept a "very high level of risk", and it should be paid for privately rather than by the taxpayer. Rees, who was appointed Astronomer Royal in 1995, said he didn't agree with Elon Musk's ambition to colonise Mars, but he hailed his achievements in both rockets and electric cars.
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