The logical engineering route to get us to the planets and, hopefully one day, to the stars is to get the robotics right and then get the energy and materials processing right all the while improving the flight systems. It would seem reasonable to want a space taxi that's as safe as an airliner before we put people in it.

Can anyone honestly point to work on the ISS that needs doing and couldn't be done at a fraction of the cost without the people.

I don't wish to detract from the courage and the spirit of the shuttle and ISS crews but this whole business of chucking people into low Earth orbit and praying that they get back in one piece is becoming a bit grisly.

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