“The issue is what does it mean culturally to send a robot versus send a person? We don't give ticker-tape parades to robots, we don't name schools after robots, we don't build statues to robots,” Tyson said.
Tyson says human beings have an inherent need to explore and that many people would sacrifice their lives to do so.
“If I said I need astronauts to go on a one-way mission to explore Jupiter, I am going to get a line wrapped around the block. There are people out there who want to explore,” Tyson said.