Why NASA supports FIRST and other robotics education
 

Check out the article here:

Robotics experts call for greater human-robotics interface in space missions

NASA and other agencies recognize the importance of robotics in enhancing human capabilities in exploration in harsh or risky environments.

NASA wants to have a future workforce able to develop even more capable and intelligent robots for space exploration. The agency is investing millions of dollars and provides engineering mentors to many teams across the country.

The Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity" rover shown in the article is going to launch to Mars just after Thanksgiving. It is an incredibly capable (and complex) machine designed to assess the habitability of Mars (past and present).

P.S. Dave Lavery's "next car on Mars" is more like an awesome monster truck!