When Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon 50 years ago, it was an inspiring moment for people around the world.
But another kind of explorer is responsible for much of the modern enthusiasm for space exploration.
“Since the days of Apollo, the greatest adventures in space have been these robots that have gone all over the solar system,” says Emily Lakdawalla, a self-described planetary evangelist at the Planetary Society.
By “these robots,” Lakdawalla means the various robotic probes that have flown past planets, moons and asteroids — orbiting some, landing on others.