Ram Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 India will launch its first unmanned mission to the Moon on 22 October, the country's space officials say, weather conditions permitting. The spacecraft, named Chandrayaan-1, will orbit the Moon, surveying its surface with high-resolution equipment. The launch had been scheduled for April, but was pushed back due to technical problems. The project will cost $83m and has the direct involvement of six other countries, including the US and Europe. Over the next two years, it will survey the lunar surface to produce a complete map of its chemical characteristics and its three-dimensional topography. The European Space Agency (Esa) is supporting the mission, supplying three instruments. These will investigate the Moon's surface and near-surface composition, and the way the lunar body interacts with the fast-moving particles streaming away from the Sun. Chandrayaan-1 will also drop a small impact probe on to the lunar surface to test its properties. 'Over ambitious' India announced its Moon mission in 2003. It has also announced plans to send a man to the Moon in the next few years. The government's lunar activities have not been welcomed by all, however. Critics say it is "over ambitious" and a "waste of resources" in a country where millions still lack basic services. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was founded in 1969, and launched its first satellite in 1975. Since then, it has developed a number of launch vehicles as well as satellites for Earth observation, telecommunications and weather forecasting. Together with China and Japan, it is part of a fast-developing Asian space sector. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7656396.stm -------------------------- :yay:
triam Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 whats the point? It will be more useful if all the countries pool their money together and try to do new stuff instead of reinventing the wheel over and over.
coffee_rules Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 This is more worthless than the bullet train from Mumbai to Pune.
CC1981 Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 This is more worthless than the bullet train from Mumbai to Pune. Agreed. WTF are we going to learn from sending a lunar mission ? Thanks to the Americans and the Russians, we already know practically everything we need to know about the moon short of looking to cannibalise it for resources/colonisation ( atleast several generations away). This is nothing more than a chest-thumping gesture of zero value and 80 million dollars down the drain simply due to ego issues.....stupid, stupid stupid.
Ram Posted October 7, 2008 Author Posted October 7, 2008 I am all for this lunar mission. Of course, the scientific benefits from this mission may not be significant, but such an event will firmly put India in the league of other space powers. It will also help to project our soft-power throughout the world and get rid of the image that India still has, of a country 'snake-charmers and sadhus'. We all know, when it comes to world-standing, image is EVERYTHING.
Dravid Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 mm, going to the moon will never cover up the millions of homeless beggers on the streets.. + this has 6 other countires.. if we did it alone it would be something that being said... when they send a guy up there, am all in for him putting apna tiranga on the moon :D
Ram Posted October 7, 2008 Author Posted October 7, 2008 mm, going to the moon will never cover up the millions of homeless beggers on the streets.. + this has 6 other countires.. if we did it alone it would be something that being said... when they send a guy up there, am all in for him putting apna tiranga on the moon :D Well, if you want them to send a man so that 'he can put apna tiranga' on the moon, first we gotto start with these smaller missions. You cant leapfrog technological barriers.
DomainK Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 Though I am proud of this, I fail to see whats to be gained from this mission. What difference will it make it we postpone our moon mission for another five decades? I can understand money spent in other branches of science like medicine, weaponry, chemistry etc. Its also justified to spend money is space programs when it comes to satellites, advanced espionage, security etc. But a moon missions? Lets leave that to advanced nations. Lets feed the poor instead.
h4te Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 I am all for this lunar mission. Of course, the scientific benefits from this mission may not be significant, but such an event will firmly put India in the league of other space powers. It will also help to project our soft-power throughout the world and get rid of the image that India still has, of a country 'snake-charmers and sadhus'. We all know, when it comes to world-standing, image is EVERYTHING. very well said :two_thumbs_up: I don't see why people are upset at this? There are numerous Indian scientists/researchers doing quote-unquote 'useful' research and have had numerous breakthroughs, but we still aren't viewed upon as a nation that is caught up with the 21st century western world. Image is everything, and any space mission gets attention (ask China)! :isalute::isalute:
Lurker Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 Good development. Hopefully this shall be a success. We dont need to wait to completely eradicate poverty before we go for something like this. Endeavours like this will increase the affinity for Science and Technology and we desperately need that. As it stands ISRO, DRDO etc are definitely not attracting the best Indian brain these days(not meant as an adverse remark on those who are working extremely hard at these places).
Chaos Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 Agreed. WTF are we going to learn from sending a lunar mission ? Thanks to the Americans and the Russians, we already know practically everything we need to know about the moon short of looking to cannibalise it for resources/colonisation ( atleast several generations away). This is nothing more than a chest-thumping gesture of zero value and 80 million dollars down the drain simply due to ego issues.....stupid, stupid stupid. man you have ZERO credibility when you post some random sheet out of ur ****.
vadodaravictor Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 Though most of us here think that it is waste of resources, we need to do it to prove our technological prowess. Image is everything in this world.
Lurker Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 I am surprised as to the number of people/posters link this with "image". What image?? India has had Space Agencies for almost 30-40 years now. What exactly is the point of a Space Agency if not to conquer moon as one of its final citadel?? Or should we just limit ourselves to shooting Television satellites?
triam Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 I am surprised as to the number of people/posters link this with "image". What image?? India has had Space Agencies for almost 30-40 years now. What exactly is the point of a Space Agency if not to conquer moon as one of its final citadel?? Or should we just limit ourselves to shooting Television satellites? I am all for technological advances, the question is what exactly is the technological advancement that will come through this mission, to put it in a business perspective, what is the ROI for 83 mill dollars? if it is India's image in the outside world, I doubt this would impact that in anyway, and either ways why do we need outside approval. If ISRO has specific goals which have not been achieved earlier by other moon missions then let them state those things and I would gladly support the endeavor. Or else it is just plain waste of money and resources.
Lurker Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 I am all for technological advances' date=' the question is what exactly is the technological advancement that will come through this mission, to put it in a business perspective, what is the ROI for 83 mill dollars?[b'] if it is India's image in the outside world, I doubt this would impact that in anyway, and either ways why do we need outside approval. No it wouldnt impact India's image at all. Other than India's image in the eyes of Indians that is. Look at it this way. In the current econmic crisis prevalent in USA(and West) what has been the reaction of Western investors towards India? None. On the other hand it is clearly obvious that everyone was hoping, and praying, that Chinese pumped some money to shore up the market. It didnt happen of course but one can catch that sentiment on any channel. If ISRO has specific goals which have not been achieved earlier by other moon missions then let them state those things and I would gladly support the endeavor. Or else it is just plain waste of money and resources. That I can agree to. Yes it would be great if ISRO could come out with the reasons behind this initiatives and so on. That should settle many people who have genuine doubts.
punjabi_khota Posted October 7, 2008 Posted October 7, 2008 Give it up for ISRO ladies and gents. Awesomeness. Things like these will do the following: 1). Help us learn the intricacies of launching more such missions in the future, some of which will definitely be useful in short term. 2). Better the image of ISRO and India, and show the world that we do some good research and development. My personal experience tells me that there SO many Indian scientists working in related areas in US, that would love to get back to India if ISRO/DRDO improve their working conditions and have ambitious projects like these. Money is one factor, but if the work is good, people will stay in India, rather than taking first flight out of India after graduation. I did in some work during the initial phase of my PhD. on space missions, and I know if the conditions were better than what they are right now in Indian Labs, I wouldn't hesitate to come back and work there. Research is always incremental and small but ambitious missions like these will help us along. We cannot be worried about roti/pani all the time.
CC1981 Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 Of course, the scientific benefits from this mission may not be significant, but such an event will firmly put India in the league of other space powers. Mate, that is bull***** of the highest order. Why do we need to thump our chest on these white elephant elitist show-off projects when we have 500 million people living in despicable conditions ? Is your identity that fragile ? Besides, inorder to put India 'firmly in the league of other space powers', all we need to do is keep launching commercial/military sattelites, collaborate on the International space station or hell, try for something of that nature in 10-15 years time when we can afford it and something meaningful can come out of this. But this urge in Indians to do such stupid elitist 'copy the west to reassure ourselves that we too are smart or something' is sickening, really. It will also help to project our soft-power throughout the world and get rid of the image that India still has, of a country 'snake-charmers and sadhus' That image is fuelled by 500 million people living in conditions nobody in their right minds would want to, from actually having snake-charmers and sadhus who (mostly) do stupid stuff in stupid ignorance....all this type of white-horse show-pony projects will demonstrate, is that India is a third world nation with a crisis in self confidence, who seeks to tack on to the 'rich elitist, ultra-mordern' image despite having half the country starving and in poverty.
CC1981 Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 Strange that you were congratulating the Chinese recently when they launched their manned mission to the moon. Yes and i stand by that. The average Chinese might be living in relative ignorance of the world and in 'minion mode', but their living standards, etc. are far better than the average Indians'. I'd not have such disdain for India, if it too had 2 trillion dollar foreign currency reserve, less than 10% of the population living in abject poverty ( as opposed to 3 times the number in India) and having lifted over 400 million people ( yes, 400 MILLION) out of poverty in the last 20 years. Commie China might be big,bad and arrogant, but they are far more deserving of show-pony projects than India is. For all that is good in India, make no mistake, China is atleast 30 years ahead in its development cycle. And these kind of show-off projects doesnt add to the 'caching up' process for us, instead, it detracts from it.
CC1981 Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 Though most of us here think that it is waste of resources' date=' we need to do it to prove our technological prowess. Image is everything in this world.[/quote'] A zillion and one fields await for demonstrating our technological prowess, that also serve some tangiable benifit to the nation. How about building an idegenous AEGIS radar ? or a electronic hardware manufacturer like NOKIA or ASUS ? the mind boggles at how much 'technological prowess we can develop to improve our image' in the infrastructure field. Launching a moon mission when your nation houses the largest AIDS population, the largest population of people in poverty, the largest infant mortality numbers, etc. is like a dude who is dressed like a millionaire but has no money in the bank...a total phony. As far as i am concerned, this is 80 million dollars down a *****hole, utter waste.
CC1981 Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 I am surprised as to the number of people/posters link this with "image". What image?? India has had Space Agencies for almost 30-40 years now. What exactly is the point of a Space Agency if not to conquer moon as one of its final citadel?? Or should we just limit ourselves to shooting Television satellites? What the hell is there to conquer on the moon ? Why is it important to plop a flag on a piece of rock circling this planet ? I am a technology-inclined dood, so tell me- what the phuck is the techological 'barrier' to putting a dude on the moon that can't be achieved in the near-earth orbit (ie, satellite/space station distance) ??
Recommended Posts