[Ifroham4]

Indian PM defends spending on space exploration
September 9, 2012




Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday defended spending millions of dollars on space exploration despite many people in the country living in grinding poverty.



ndia plans to launch a probe to orbit Mars next year at an estimated cost of four to five billion rupees ($70-90 million), and hopes to send its first manned mission to space in 2016.

"Questions are sometimes asked about whether a poor country like India can afford a space programme and whether the funds spent on space exploration, albeit modest, could be better utilised elsewhere," Singh said in a speech.

"This misses the point that a nation's state of development is finally a product of its technological prowess."

India comes 134th among 187 countries in the United Nations' overall development rankings, while a survey earlier this year revealed that 42 percent of Indian children aged under five are underweight due to malnutrition.

Singh made his remarks in Andhra Pradesh state after witnessing the launch of India's 100th space mission when a rocket carrying two foreign commercial satellites was fired into orbit.

"India is justly proud of its space scientists, who have overcome immense odds to set up world-class facilities and develop advanced technologies," he said.

In September 2009, India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe discovered water on the moon, boosting the country's credibility among more experienced space-faring nations. But the space programme suffered a setback in December 2010 when a satellite launch vehicle blew up and fell into the Bay of Bengal after veering from its intended flight path.



http://phys.org/news/2012-09-indian-...ploration.html

India launches satellites in 100th space mission
September 9, 2012



(AP)—India's national space organization has marked its 100th mission by launching French and Japanese satellites.



The Indian Space Research Organization said Sunday's launch of a French observation satellite and a Japanese microsatellite was a success. India has had an active space program since the 1960s and has launched scores of satellites for itself and other countries.



In 2008, it successfully sent a probe to the moon that detected evidence of water on the lunar surface for the first time. The space agency plans to send a spacecraft to Mars next year.





http://phys.org/news/2012-09-india-s...e-mission.html

India to launch Mars mission: PM (Update)
August 15, 2012



India plans to launch a space probe that will orbit Mars, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh confirmed on Wednesday after press reports that the mission was scheduled to begin late next year.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2012-08-india-m...on-pm.html#jCp

India launches three satellites on single rocket
April 20, 2011



India launched a rocket carrying three satellites into orbit on Wednesday in its latest effort to gain a share of the global commercial space market.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2011-04-indian-...ocket.html#jCp

[MannoFr]

An interesting site

http://www.isro.org/index.aspx

[PhillipHer]

Yep, it would be quite easy for arm chair critics to criticise India and probably China also on running space programs while so much poverty exists in both countries.
But then once people start to think about the benefits and spin offs from space endeavours, a clearer picture emerges.
Improvements in weather predictions and warnings, and Agriculture management are just two areas that Satellites have helped to alleviate food shortage problems.
Topography and mapping plus GPS are other areas that bring about general improvements in helping large populations.
And I'm pretty sure without doing too much googling that India's poverty problem is far less then it used to be.
That situation would also be applied to China.

[Peptobismol]

Yep, it would be quite easy for arm chair critics to criticise India and probably China also on running space programs while so much poverty exists in both countries.
But then once people start to think about the benefits and spin offs from space endeavours, a clearer picture emerges.
Improvements in weather predictions and warnings, and Agriculture management are just two areas that Satellites have helped to alleviate food shortage problems.
Topography and mapping plus GPS are other areas that bring about general improvements in helping large populations.
And I'm pretty sure without doing too much googling that India's poverty problem is far less then it used to be.
That situation would also be applied to China.

Just a few thoughts...
If India scrapped its Space Programme I doubt its poverty/hunger dramas would be solved?
A country must look to and plan for the future or be forever be a Third World player.
Has launching for other countries in any significant way reimbursed India for its Capital Investment? ... unlikely.
A probe to Mars has far less tangible benefits , both long and short term , compared to communication and weather satellites.

Still they are musings of a well fed Aussie , not a starving Indian.
There is no way I would have the same outlook if my children were dying.

They are also the musings of an Arm Chair "Expert" (Though I prefer the term Arm Chair Observer). Which also describes yourself BC.

I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, but as I said earlier I know I would think and feel differently if my kids were starving.

Brett

[HedgeYourBets]

Still they are musings of a well fed Aussie , not a starving Indian.
There is no way I would have the same outlook if my children were dying.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::


Totally agree on all counts. But it's also true that the government of India needs to have a far broader outlook then just me and my kids.
They have over a billion to be concerned about, and Space endeavours and explorations will almost certainly help in the long run.
As I have already suggested, I'm sure India and also China are better off then they were 25 years ago.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A probe to Mars has far less tangible benefits , both long and short term , compared to communication and weather satellites.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


I disagree. There are long term benefits.



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
They are also the musings of an Arm Chair "Expert" (Though I prefer the term Arm Chair Observer). Which also describes yourself BC.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Of course! I have never placed myself above that description ever.
A shame we all cannot admit that obvious shortcoming.

I just prefer to remain optimistic and forward looking about the future and so far overall with the many improvements every day, I remain confident that those that are at the coal face will succeed.

[Ifroham4]

Just as a side note, both India and China have political motivations to invest in home grown rocketry programs as well as technological supremacy over their neighbors.

[HedgeYourBets]

Just as a side note, both India and China have political motivations to invest in home grown rocketry programs as well as technological supremacy over their neighbors.

That's OK too *shrug*...Like I said, it's still benefiting the people in the long run.
Both India and China are far better off then they were.

In fact we potentially could be looking at the next two world super powers.
Nothing wrong with that either.

[9mm_fan]

That's OK too *shrug*...Like I said, it's still benefiting the people in the long run.
Both India and China are far better off then they were.

In fact we potentially could be looking at the next two world super powers.
Nothing wrong with that either.

never said there was anything wrong with that, I don't really subscribe to the "feed the hungry" hypothesis... I was merely pointing out that motivations are unlikely to be based solely in scientific advancement - that is, they aren't do it to benefit the unwashed masses, it's as much about a political pissing contest as anything else.

[NeroASERCH]

... it's as much about a political pissing contest as anything else. yes, unadulterated altruism is a pretty rare bird.

[Lt_Apple]

*shrug*
Whatever the reasons, is not the point of the debate.
The point of the debate is that space exploration etc improves the lot for the ordinary Indian/Chinese in the long run.
And both powers are potentially super powers before the end of this century...

[doctorzlo]

*shrug*
Whatever the reasons, is not the point of the debate.
The point of the debate is that space exploration etc improves the lot for the ordinary Indian/Chinese in the long run.
And both powers are potentially super powers before the end of this century...

How will space exploration improve the caste system?

[doctorzlo]

How will space exploration improve the caste system?

It has already...
And will continue to make things better in the long run.

[9mm_fan]

How will space exploration improve the caste system?

Would the cancellation of the Space Program improve the caste system?

I can understand the need of a Satelite Industry. Still not comfortable with the appropriatness a Mars Programme.

[NeroASERCH]

It has already...
And will continue to make things better in the long run.

Reference ?
And specific to the Caste System that was the comment...

[TorryJens]

Would the cancellation of the Space Program improve the caste system?

I can understand the need of a Satelite Industry. Still not comfortable with the appropriatness a Mars Programme.

No it won't I agree, but my argument holds about as much water as saying a space program will make everything happy time.

[brraverishhh]

never said there was anything wrong with that, I don't really subscribe to the "feed the hungry" hypothesis... I was merely pointing out that motivations are unlikely to be based solely in scientific advancement - that is, they aren't do it to benefit the unwashed masses, it's as much about a political pissing contest as anything else.

That and the fact that India are neighbours to a very militant Pakistan would have given plenty of political motivation.

[Ifroham4]

Around the year 2050 you are going to have around 9 billion people, of whom India is going to be a major contributor, also Global Warming is going to be felt more with hotter and more unpredictable weather. Our energy requirements, especially from petroleum products will be under enormous strain, and I hate to think of the state of the environment and of the animals we share this planet.

There is no doubt living in this period is going to be very interesting and perhaps we should be looking a little harder at overcoming the immense problems we shall have to face, than investing in an uncertain future of outer space, which may or may not produce the vast returns some seem to think is inevitable. The problems of vast distances and the time involved in reaching other worlds outside of our solar system, may never be solved and any predicted returns may never eventuate.

Perhaps we should be concentrating on the things we can or should be solving for our wellbeing on this planet, rather than dreaming of other worlds and adventures elsewhere. Personally I think manned space exploration is a political diversion that the general public are only too willing to follow in order to escape the realities closer to home.

[Peptobismol]

Reference ?
And specific to the Caste System that was the comment...

I have a better idea...Why don't TOB or anyone that thinks India and/or China are worse off now then they were 25 years ago, find some reputable article stating that....At present I am far to busy.

[NeroASERCH]

No it won't I agree, but my argument holds about as much water as saying a space program will make everything happy time.

The Space program in the long run, will improve everyone's lot...even yours TOB.

[Fegasderty]

It has already...
And will continue to make things better in the long run.

The simple fact is that India's space program has little to do with improving the lot of average and poor Indians, it's about demonstrating technological superiority over Pakistan.