As indicated, it is sad but should be viewed as an opportunity. Cost-wise we get a lot more information from this type of mission that a surface based effort. I for one would be much in favor of a more sophisticated replacement that a lander type mission, especially one involving humans. That would be an extraordinarily expensive exercise to say the least. Just look at progress with relation to understanding our weather and other surfical factors on earth since the employment of sattelites. But, space exploration is not a democracy, and even though I am helping pay the bill, it appears that political pressure far outweighs common sense. Let's hope that this type of effort will prevail in favor of other such mission that will cost megabucks more.