In article .com,
zoltan wrote:
I think it would be much more efficient to encapsulate the astronauts
in a confortable robotic vehicle that has manipulator arms to collect
samples, air conditioning, life support, communications, consumables,
motors, etc. We already have a lot of experience with such vehicles
from undersea exploration.

Yes, and they're distinctly clumsy and difficult to get things done in;
they're used underwater simply because there's no good alternative.

For space, the idea has been suggested many times, but to date, hands and
feet simply work better.
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