Smithsonian Spotlight
Space: Bots or Bodies
S4 • E2 Feb 12, 2011
In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts and a Russian robot rover raced each other to reach the moon first. More than 40 years later, the debate of man vs. machine rages on: Which is better equipped to handle the rigors and risks of space exploration? Technological advances will allow astronauts to travel farther than ever, and Mars is in our sights. But should Man make that trip? Are we pushing the boundaries, or pushing our luck?