All=20deep=20space=20probes=20are=20a=20total=20wa ste=20of=20resou=
rces.

Just=20consider=20how=20long=20it=20will=20take=20 to=20reach=20eve=
n=20the=20very=20nearest=20of=20neighbors.=20Many= 20millennia.=20B=
y=20that=20time=20any=20even=20nuclear=20power=20w ill=20have=20bee=
n=20long=20exhausted.

Then=20the=20question=20of=20guidance.=20Everythin g's=20sure=20to=
=20miss=20the=20mark=20by=20light=20years.

In=20the=20extreemly=20unlikely=20event=20that=20a =20space=20farin=
g=20sentient=20species=20would=20find=20a=20probe, =20then=20we=20m=
ight=20well=20be=20better=20off=20if=20they=20hadn 't.=20They'd=20l=
ikely=20consider=20manking=20to=20be=20a=20resourc e=20for=20their=
=20consumption.