On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 17:49:03 GMT, Dick Morris
wrote:



..... Spirit and Opportunity are
wonderful machines, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking that that
is the best way to explore Mars.


However, manned and unmanned missions do not have to be mutally
exclusive. From President Bush' speach (
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0040114-3.html ):

"....Robotic missions will serve as trailblazers -- the advanced guard
to the unknown. Probes, landers and other vehicles of this kind
continue to prove their worth, sending spectacular images and vast
amounts of data back to Earth ..... "

Also, remember the later Apollo missions launched subsatelllites into
Lunar orbit. I'm thinkin' a Mars mission could launch satellites into
orbit, and maybe bring alone their own UAVs to aide in the survey and
reconnassance of areas they want to visit.