Machines probably could have easily made the trip to the moon in less time. However, in order for the project to accomplish its political and social goals, humans had to make the trip. The United States had to show supremacy in manned space flight. The Soviet Union, in being the first to launch a man into space, started the manned space race. These days, the question of whether humans should be doing as many missions in space is not so clear.
Machines can do many things that humans do in the space shuttle .
Proponents of manned space flight still believe that a human is an important part of space travel. They say, The critics failed to recognize the value of having trained men make on-site observations, measurements, and judgments about lunar phenomena, and sending men to place scientific instruments where they could best answer specific questions. Yet, when the extra cost and effort are factored in, it is hard to believe that humans are truly needed for simple satellite deployment, which is oftentimes what they are doing. The main reason for manned missions is the possibility of future human colonization of space. So, missions like the Mars project could become commonplace in the future.