Why do scientists want to use robots to explore Mars?
NASA scientists made history in 1969 when the first men landed on the surface of the moon. So why are they relying on robots like the Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner robotic rovers to explore the surface or Mars? To date, the track record has not been great. Different nations have sent more than 30 probes on missions to Mars, but fewer than one-third have survived the trip. It is expensive to send people into space. It would take a minimum of 100,000 pounds of vehicle, equipment, food and water for a small team of astronauts to reach Mars. Designing and delivering a robot to Mars doesn’t require heavy and complicated life support systems. Robots also don’t have to worry about a return trip back to Earth. It might be possible to produce fuel for a return trip from the Martian atmosphere itself, but many test missions would need to be performed to prove that it can be done. The Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner rovers were equipped with robotic arms, nine cameras apiece, and all the instrument
