Space is intrinsically dramatic, but there’s a little secret to human spaceflight that few understand: machines went there first. By the time humans orbited the Earth in the early 60s, satellites had already measured a great deal about the near-Earth environment. Even 50 years ago, machines did the trailblazing for the people. And If AI continues to develop as fast as it is right now, we will rapidly reach a point where risking humans in space exploration will become pointless.

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