Robotic space science

Aviation Week : Story:

"spaceborne robots have brought about an age of scientific discovery comparable in its impact to the geographic age of discovery 500 years ago.

Robotic space science hasn't been limited to the floating eyes of scientific satellites such as the Hubble and planetary probes along the lines of Cassini and the Voyagers. Almost from the beginning, space scientists have devised landers and rovers able to get down in the dirt and dust of other celestial bodies, analyzing what they find in situ and even bringing back samples. Eventually, as rovers and penetrators sample the Solar System's waters for the taste of life, that direct approach may answer what is perhaps the ultimate question of the space age--are we alone?"

Research of this nature is vital, as is the civilian use of near space (telecomm, etc.), but we must never lose sight of the militarily strategic value of the ultimate high ground - because if we take our attention off of this, hen someone else will make use of it, and all the UN treaties in the world won't stop them.