irani@cs.umn.edu (Erach Irani) (07/18/90)
One reason for using robots in space (or any environment hazardous to people) is the value of human life as oppossed to the cost of man-made things. Consider the Challenger space shuttle accident versus the Hubble Telescope accident. Human life is valued far far more highly than the cost of material things lost. This is one reason for using robots - they are expendable even if at great cost. erach -- Phone : (Home) (612) 378-2336 Work : (612) 627-4850 InterNet : irani@cs.umn.edu UUCP: uunet!umn-cs!irani Postal Address: Erach A.Irani; 1717, Rollins Ave.; Minneapolis, MN 55414.
irani@cs.umn.edu (Erach Irani) (07/18/90)
Oops. My previous message got Rot-13 somehow. What I said was that essentially the space shuttle accident and the Hubble telescope failure shows that the loss of human life is considered unacceptable, while that of man-made articles (however costly) is acceptable. So, since the loss of robots can be considered acceptable why not use them in space and other dangerous environments. - erach -- Phone : (Home) (612) 378-2336 Work : (612) 627-4850 InterNet : irani@cs.umn.edu UUCP: uunet!umn-cs!irani Postal Address: Erach A.Irani; 1717, Rollins Ave.; Minneapolis, MN 55414.
woody@eos.UUCP (Wayne Wood) (07/18/90)
In article <1990Jul18.012037.13842@cs.umn.edu> irani@cs.umn.edu (Erach Irani) writes: >One reason for using robots in space (or any environment hazardous to >people) is the value of human life as oppossed to the cost of man-made >things. Consider the Challenger space shuttle accident versus the Hubble >Telescope accident. Human life is valued far far more highly than the >cost of material things lost. > these two incidents are not of the same order. we haven't "lost" the Humble Space Trashcan... it just isn't operating at this time. second... does anybody out there have an *operational* robot that can be sent up on (say) the next mission? No? i thought not.... /*** woody **************************************************************** *** ...tongue tied and twisted, just an earth bound misfit, I... *** *** -- David Gilmour, Pink Floyd *** ****** woody@eos.arc.nasa.gov *** my opinions, like my mind, are my own ******/