Manned space flight as currently structured is an enormous waste of resources. NASA scientists have to beg to get missions like this one funded which will return actual science. Meanwhile we spend twice the total cost of Dawn every time we put the Shuttle up there to carry new parts and supplies to the ISS and go in circles. I’m looking forward to the private sector taking over manned flight and near earth exploration. At least it will be cost effective.
The Mars Rovers are also still roving:
Spaceflightnow.com
Opportunity has descended the inner slope of the 800-meter-wide crater (half a mile wide) to a band of relatively bright bedrock exposed partway down. The rover is in position to touch a selected slab of rock with tools at the end of its robotic arm, after safety checks being commanded because the rover is at a 25-degree tilt. Researchers intend to begin examining the rock with those tools later this week.
Okay. Then close NASA down and let some other people pick up the torch. We waste billions of dollars each year on this nonsense and we’re getting nowhere.
We could have been living on other planets by now. Instead we have developed some science that I’m not all that sure we couldn’t have lived without.
If it comes down to it, I’d rather have humans exploring and do with a little less science.
How many hundreds of billions of dollars are we going to burn through, while other nations develop plans to do what we have simply refused to do?
If you want the private sector to do it, then simply tell the feds you’re done. Pack it in.