The best thing we can do is explore with robots and telemetry for now. Meanwhile, the development of better manned space travel can be in the works, taken slowly, so we don't rush things. I think we can minimize the risk to human life and eventually make manned exploration better. The distances involved are prohibitive and until we discover a far better method of propulsion and long-term life support in space, we can't exactly send humans to Mars or other faraway places.
Sure, manned space travel is more exciting, but we have to come up with solutions to these hurtles first. We can go to the moon but Mars is MUCH further away. Our space craft would have to travel much faster and therefore require far more fuel, which creates a greater burden for escaping Earth's gravity.
One step at a time.
