Why's that?
Mostly because it seems to be going backwards.
Half a century ago, humans walked on another world.
These days, our "space program" consists of a glorified RC-car operation and the equivalent of splashing around six feet from shore and calling ourselves Columbus.
This is true. But manned spaceflight is more of a show thing, while robotics do real science. So there's something to be said for both.
This is probably where I admit to being massively underwhelmed by "real science".
Frankly, until engineers make it tangible, it's just so much guff and hot air.
Also, I will maintain - until the day I die - that the purpose of a "space program" is to make humanity an interplanetary civilization, and until such an aim is achieved, that it's nothing more than a whole lot of splashing around in the shallows.
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