§ 4.8 Automation, Robotics and Teleoperation
 § 4.8.1 Introduction
Since it will be expensive to support people in space in the early years of space development, the space manufacturing facilities in Earth orbit will be highly automated and teleoperated. Teleoperators from Earth can monitor and control most processes. Almost all of the processes are simple and repetitive. Setup and maintenance people will be the main personnel required on-site in the initial years.
Space operations have conventionally been highly automated and teleoperated, especially probes to the outer reaches of the solar system where round trip communication times are up to hours.
Operations in space will be a combination of automation and teleoperation. Manufacturing and transportation would be highly automated with human monitoring and intervention when necessary, whereas mining would be largely by teleoperation.
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