MOSCOW, August 7 Science no longer requires landing on the moon — the use of robots is cheaper and safer, but the ideological effect from landing a person on the surface of another celestial body also matters, said astronomer, senior researcher at the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute of Lomonosov Moscow State University Vladimir Surdin.
“If we talk about the purely scientific (side – ed.), of course, the role of man is already“ zero ”in the study of all planets in general, including the Moon. Robots can do a lot, they are much cheaper, and an unsuccessful flight will be without casualties,» Surdin said.
The astronomer noted that in addition to science, «ideology and politics» also matter.
«It is important to demonstrate to the population that we are cool, that we are the first, that we can … Now the Chinese also want, their billion people will be happy to have a Chinese on the moon. Roskosmos has plans to land a man , but now these plans are flying away somewhere in the future, because this is not what the country's policy is designed for,» Surdin added.
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