POLL: India plans moon mission 'by 2007' - CNN

[athithi]

India plans moon mission 'by 2007'

Go India! heh heh, we're doing it because we'll need the space so bad, what with 1.1 billion people...

Edited title to show POLL

 

[shiner]

They building the world's biggest slingshot?

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
They building the world's biggest slingshot?

 

[HombrePequeno]

It'll be tough for them but I think they'll pull it off.

 

[crab]

I think they can.

 

[ElFenix]

well, since their current missles can't hit much past pakistan they're going to have to get some rocket development. maybe they could just buy some from the french?

 

[Rallispec]

what do they have to gain from going to the moon?


seems like a waste of money that could be much better spent on the people of india.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
what do they have to gain from going to the moon?


seems like a waste of money that could be much better spent on the people of india.

i totally agree

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
what do they have to gain from going to the moon?


seems like a waste of money that could be much better spent on the people of india.

I agree. Colonizing the moon to relieve population stress is not the solution India needs. Putting a permanent colony on the moon is a technical challenge beyond even the US's capabilities.

Ryan

 

[IGBT]

They hardly have a pot to piss in and now they want to go to the moon?? ok...ok...go to the moon..mabe a joint mission with Pakistan?

 

[CubicZirconia]

India insists its space program is purely for civilian interests, but defense experts say that developments in Indian rocket technology are also likely to help the military in its goal of producing a homegrown intercontinental ballistic missile.

That can't be good.

 

[athithi]

Originally posted by: rgwalt

Originally posted by: Rallispec
what do they have to gain from going to the moon?


seems like a waste of money that could be much better spent on the people of india.

I agree. Colonizing the moon to relieve population stress is not the solution India needs. Putting a permanent colony on the moon is a technical challenge beyond even the US's capabilities.

Ryan

:Q I was just kidding about the population comment For a country to develop fully it needs to grow in more directions than just feeding it's millions. If India did not have a serious scientific agenda with real goals (not necessarily realistic goals ) it would be an injustice to the 1000s of scientists in India who've dedicated their lives to the advancement of science - and it would further discourage others from taking up interest in the field of science. India is not doing enough scientifically. This is long overdue. So - NO, that money can NOT be better spent on anything other than this. India's space program is already starved and that will also reflect on how the country advances in the future, apart from how it handles poverty, disease, illiteracy etc., etc., etc.,

 

[Ipno]

I think thats the real reason. No one will get mad at you if you're working on a way to "Go to the moon" but countries might get more than a little upset if they openly said they're advancing their rockets programs in order to deliver weapons of mass destruction.

Really whats the point in going to the moon? But the UN weapon inspectors come by, "Why you building a big ass rocket?" "So we can go to the moon!" "Oh ok! no prob."

 

[minus1972]

I'm a little unclear on the politics of this...Does the US own the moon; having been the first there? If so, wouldn't we be a little against the idea of another country landing there?

 

[AU Tiger]

Originally posted by: CubicZirconia

India insists its space program is purely for civilian interests, but defense experts say that developments in Indian rocket technology are also likely to help the military in its goal of producing a homegrown intercontinental ballistic missile.

That can't be good.

There lies the true reason for their moon mission.

 

[axelfox]

The American Flag is/was on the moon, right?

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: AU Tiger

Originally posted by: CubicZirconia

India insists its space program is purely for civilian interests, but defense experts say that developments in Indian rocket technology are also likely to help the military in its goal of producing a homegrown intercontinental ballistic missile.

That can't be good.

There lies the true reason for their moon mission.

Hmm, and I thought the real reason was to provide an exile colony called 'Bollywood 2' for all there horrible actors/actresses/producers/directors!!!!

 

[Kadarin]

While I'm not so sure about this, I do believe there's an outside chance China will do it by 2015.

 

[LordFortius]

Originally posted by: minus1972
I'm a little unclear on the politics of this...Does the US own the moon; having been the first there? If so, wouldn't we be a little against the idea of another country landing there?

No, there's some international treaty that says no government can lay claim to a celestial body or something like that. I dont remember the name or who signed it.

EDIT

Heres some info from some moon real estate site.

Outer Space Treaty

 

[HombrePequeno]

You guys do realize that this is just a robotic mission right? This is mostly just a national prestige builder.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

I don't understand why the government is spending so much money on space missions and nuclear arms when they have starving and dying people all over the nation like crazy. Then again, my own government picks and chooses who to take care of as well. :|

nik

 

[HombrePequeno]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
I don't understand why the government is spending so much money on space missions and nuclear arms when they have starving and dying people all over the nation like crazy. Then again, my own government picks and chooses who to take care of as well. :|

nik

Yes, let's all turn to communism so nobody will be poor. Hey it worked in the USSR didn't it?

This space program provides jobs for the more intelligent people in India so they *don't* starve. These people will more than likely help others too.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
I don't understand why the government is spending so much money on space missions and nuclear arms when they have starving and dying people all over the nation like crazy. Then again, my own government picks and chooses who to take care of as well. :|

nik

Yes, let's all turn to communism so nobody will be poor. Hey it worked in the USSR didn't it?

This space program provides jobs for the more intelligent people in India so they *don't* starve. These people will more than likely help others too.

Then they can get jobs elsewhere. Is it fair to say "we'll give lots of money to a completely useless program so one guy can live very easily instead of two people living moderately"

nik

 

[HombrePequeno]

Their space program is far from useless. Where exactly do you expect them to find other jobs? These guys will help develop better rockets that will in turn go to the military which will need looking after which requires people to do. These rockets can also be sold to companies that want to launch satellites. It doesn't really give details on what the mission does but it will more than likely give us a better understanding of the moon which has some value.

 

[Shantanu]

what do they have to gain from going to the moon?


seems like a waste of money that could be much better spent on the people of india.

Those kinds of bullsh|t socialist policies don't work. Redistrbuting wealth was the order of the day between 1960 and 1990 in India, and in that time, economic growth averaged 2% a year. It created a lot more poverty than it reduced.

Since India switched to a liberal market economy in the 1990's, and started diverting existing public spending to projects like this, economic growth has averaged 6%.

The point of this mission is to demonstrate technical competence. If India can be one of the few to send a robotic fly-by or orbiter mission to the Moon, that will create a lot of prestige for India's scientific efforts, and spur foreign investment. India's hope is to boost its $4 billion yearly foreign direct investment (FDI) to more like $40 billion by the end of the decade.

Projects like this will alleviate a lot more poverty than redistributing public funds to the poor ever will. Hell, even communist China has a more or less liberal market economy, because they were smart enough to realize that socialism only creates poverty, it can't cure it.

If nothing else, the $85 million program will create further prestige and publicity for India's space program. They've already done 4 commercial satellite launches for countries like Germany and South Korea. At $20 million a pop, it's a very profitable business to be in.

Let me ask you this: Would you rather India created employment opportunities for its people through projects like this? Or would rather they begged the U.S. for a billion dollars every month like all the failed states in Central and South America?