John Whisenhunt wrote:

I know very well why we should take great care in exploring
any new and unique place, particularly with a rare successfully-landed
probe.


I don't know how your country is doing, but the U.S. has a 5 out of 6
success rate when it comes to landing Mars probes.
I snipped the rest; if you want to send someone up there in the near
future, I suggest that you figure out to pay for it given our present
budget situation.... and here's a thought...suppose they find evidence
of life up there...either now, or in the past. Then introducing Earth
microorganisms into that environment could well destroy the indigenous
Martian lifeforms; and you have to be sure that there aren't any before
you start letting people onto the planet, because they are going to
bring all sorts of biological goodies with their arrival.

Pat