PTA.S1.Q11 - Building a space station...

asiaharford227

I was wondering if anyone could explain why the correct answer is A, considering that there is no mention of robots in the stimulus. How was that a necessary assumption, if it wasn't mentioned? Thanks!

JesseWeNeedToCook

Essentially what we have to recongnize in this question is the importance of the statement "For future missions to mars we will need the medical knowledge that the space station project will give us about the limits of human capcities to live in spacecraft for an extended time."

This is an incredibly strong statement to make, and they don't really give a justification as to why we would "need" that particular information.

So of the answer choices we are probably looking for the answer choice, when negated, that will absolutely obliterate this statement. (blocking type answer)

A) Correct: If the exploration to mars is carried out by only robots why the heck would we "need" the medical information about humans during the future missions to explore to mars. Therefore, given the info in the stimulus, we must assume that humans are going to mars at some point to explore it otherwise the argument just falls apart.

B ) incorrect: who cares? doesn't really affect the argument

C) incorrect: Again who cares? so what if one unforseen medical situation occurs.

D) Incorrect: I could see this being a convincing trap answer choice as someone would probably go down the road of, "oh well this answer choice seems to be correct, because when negated if they're travelling to other places first, then who cares about the space station, as you'll be able to get the info you need from those earlier expeditions." However, reading carefully, for this answer to be correct, or at least more correct, it would need to read something like
"The space station project will take place prior to any extended manned flights to explore the solar system"

In clearer terms: Who cares if mars isn't the first place we go, we could go to the moon and still be relying on the space station data when we eventually explore mars. Therefore not necessary assumption. (also notice here again we are assuming exploration is actually done by people in spaceships.)

E) Incorrect: doesn't affect the argument.