@Dan_DeColumna So the planet comes into sight…and that’s good enough, eh? :)
That’s like driving through the surrounding forests of Yellowstone National Park, turning the corner, seeing the gate and saying “Cool! I can see the entrance to the park. And our car’s closer to gate than anyone else’s! Well, that’s good enough. We can go back to the New York now!”
That’s like preparing for an extended expedition into the Amazon jungle and then just staying in the airplane upon arrival. Boring. Pointless.
Is the whale watching trip worth it if all one does is stay on the beach? Is traveling to the planets worth it if all one does is stay on the shuttle and wave at Mars from afar? Heck, after all the training and preparation I wanna get out of that shuttle and have my feet touch red dirt! What a waste to go through all that training and more and than just observe the planet. Geez, I can do that with a telescope on earth. There’s no point in even boarding the shuttle if all I’m doing is eyeballing it from a light year away.
Your answer brought up an interesting point and struck me…I had to respond. :)