I was hoping this book was going to be written more informally. That said, Goldsmith and Rees have compelling arguments about why robots should not only lead space exploration but replace astronauts. I found myself questioning why I want to see astronauts in space while reading and the answer is because science fiction has been so ingrained into me that the idea of one day living in outer space is appealing.

Overall, I'd say that if you like slightly dry research-driven persuasion essays about space, this is the book for you. I'll even go further and say that if you are curious about what is happening in space and like to read research papers, this is for you.

Honestly, if the book were just written for a broader audience I would have rated this higher. As it is, I feel that it isn't as accessible to readers as it should be if the aim was to convince the vast majority of people interested in space exploration.

In this rather short book, two esteemed scientists present what they believe are rational arguments against the continuation of human spaceflight. The reasons remain unchanged from those that have existed since the 1950s and espoused by James van Allen and his contemporaries: humans are not needed for scientific discoveries, the enterprise is expensive, and the risks are great. They update the contention that robots are better explorers by pointing to the enormous advances in computing and artificial intelligence that they say will soon make machines better than humans.

The timing of the book is rather ironic, as worldwide interest in human space travel has never been greater. China is now a major space power with astronauts aboard an expanding space station; India expects to launch crews in the next few years, and even Europe - long reluctant to develop an independent human program - is beginning to consider its own crewed vehicles. America will soon have at least three active human spacecraft systems - and the paradigm-changing SpaceX Starship has the potential to open up unlimited vistas in the near future. The ongoing efforts of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, along with the national programs across the globe, seem to make abandonment of human participation in space travel a remote possibility, at best.

To me, their case is somewhat flimsy, since it presupposes robotic abilities that are still - quite literally - out of reach, despite decades of effort. Robots have yet to demonstrate simple autonomous task performance such as loading a dishwasher or changing a diaper (heaven forbid). Such advancements may very well be on the horizon, but they do not exist now. The book does provide a useful review of some of the more important obstacles to the boldest exploration and exploitation schemes. Independent habitats on Mars promoted by Musk, and massive orbital industrialization championed by Bezos, are such mind-boggling goals that practical criticisms are readily apparent. But the dreams and schemes that are prevalent today are helping to develop capabilities that will provide serious short-term benefits regardless of the ultimate feasibility of the more dramatic, and some would say outlandish, visions.

As a life-long space advocate, I appreciate the effort that these genuinely brilliant men have put into their arguments, but it is probably safe to say that authors, despite their good intentions, are fighting a lost cause.
As long as there are rockets, and places to go, there will be astronauts.