President's Commission on Moon, Mars and Beyond

>
> Robots used on the moon and mars, without humans to maintain them, do
> not have a record of surviving very long at all. I believe that
> pathfinder has the record at 90 days before a malfunction. All it
> takes is one little bolt to break, or one circuit to fry, or one part
> to overheat (or freeze) and the robot stops.
>
Takes even less to kill a human in the same situation. Your thinking
earth surface too much. The advantage that robotic installations have
on earth is that their maintainers (humans) are in their natural
environment. Put the requirements on those facilities that humans would
have to wear and maintain all the equipment that will be required to
keep them alive on the moon or mars and watch them quickly disappear
from the operation.