Commentary: The Value of Human Spaceflight

As the mass and volume fractions required for automated systems continue to decline and the dexterity of robotic arms, sensitivity of optics, and processing speeds of CPUs increase; the only need for human presence to accomplish any activity in space will be the ability to interpret, process, and react instantly to non-programmable events.

The biggest challenge to the future of robotics in space won't be systems capability, it will be the signal relay time between man mind and machine processor. It is indeed that "C" thing I see in the relativity equation that will require the presence of human physiology, with all of its cumbersome and costly logistical support systems; for the sole purpose of being able to act in the instant instead of the epoch.

Gavilan

How about this as a reason.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/3521/Robots-baffled-by-optical-illusions