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NEW DELHI: 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.
The project would mark another step in the country's ambitious space programme, which placed a probe on the moon three years ago and envisages its first manned mission in 2016.
“Our spaceship will go near Mars and collect important scientific information,” Singh said in his annual Independence Day address, heralding the plan as “a huge step for us in the area of science and technology”.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is expected to launch the unmanned orbiter as early as November next year, the Press Trust of India news agency reported earlier this month.
According to one ISRO official, the cost of the mission has been estimated at four to five billion rupees ($70-90 million).
India has a well-established space programme which is a source of strong national pride, but it has also attracted criticism as the government struggles to tackle dire poverty and child malnutrition.
Power blackouts on two consecutive days this month knocked out electricity across vast swathes of the country and underlined weaknesses in India's basic infrastructure.
“More attention needs to be paid to the poor on issues such as health, drinking water and literacy,” Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of the Sulabh sanitation charity and one of India's most noted welfare activists, told AFP.
“Going to space might have some scientific benefits but it alone will not help the condition of India's poor.”
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. The United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and China have all sent missions to Mars.
The US robot Curiosity is currently on the surface of the “Red Planet” after landing last week to hunt for soil-based signs of life and send back data for a future human mission.
Curiosity is a nuclear-powered vehicle that is designed for a two-year mission, though scientists hope it will last at least twice that long.
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On DawnNews
Comments (62) Closed
Aug 15, 2012 02:51pm
space research not just a matter of pride. technology deveoped for space vehicle proved for vital civilian use like one
our honourable ex-president unvieled the light weight non corrosive legs for physically handicapped people. the
material developed for heat resistant ,light and non corrosive can be used for commercial business like automobile and fishing vessel.this can be developed only when you have a challenging space programmes. also vast amount
of helium (a fuel ) can be tapped from moon. thats why us,china,japan,europe ,russia and india repeatedly sending
probes and missions.plz improve the knowledge abt the space missions my friend.
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Aug 15, 2012 10:00am
Its really beyond my thinking Mars Mission - Power shortage - Poor Transport are similar things ? If no then why two extras lines for these . Yeah Transport is a problem in India . But in next five years more then ten cities will be using Metros like Delhi , Kolkata , Mumbai , B'lore already using . But it not means that India should ignore other things Like Space Missions . Its a breakthrough for ISRO now India will be in Elite zone in Space Mission . It will be beneficial for all .
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Aug 15, 2012 10:00am
because this is the reality
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Aug 15, 2012 02:58pm
Facts aside, but the comment was very funny :)
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Aug 16, 2012 03:33pm
Thank you for projecting a positive perspective in India's space program.Good luck to Pakistan in coming out of very troubled times.
I used to have a Muslim gentleman,a retired Police officer, teach me art of batting in India a long time ago- his surname was Baig! I think is his first name was Habibullah but it was long time ago and I don't remember exactly.
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Aug 15, 2012 03:12pm
Space missions have one positive aspect, which override all concerns of the expenditure involved. The cosmic discoveries broaden our vision. They constantly remind us, how much senseless and insignificant are the barriers we create between ourselves on earth. We fight each other over petty differences like religion due to our misplaced belief of self-importance.
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Aug 15, 2012 10:08am
Lunar and Martian exploration comes with a hefty price and given that volumes of data are available already in the upper atmospheric sciences, countries like India should direct these resources to social uplift.
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Aug 15, 2012 02:34pm
I do research in AI and Robotics and often find people questioning rationale behind spending money on high tech research. Most of these people are not aware of the simple fact that almost all of the technology that we use today were once developed by high-tech labs and space missions are known for that. You may want to listen to what NASA scientist s have to say on NASA funding. Not long ago a colleague of mine debated very passionately that in India we should try to bring food to everyone instead of building bridges or metro trains. Perhaps you can see the fallacy here - something leads to something else.
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Aug 16, 2012 09:37am
Pakistan govt need to be more transparent and democratic, They dont need to be controlled by extremist. Once we do this then pakistan would shine in the region.
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Aug 15, 2012 12:11pm
very well said prat2905...
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Aug 15, 2012 12:03pm
Success is only another form of failure if we forget what our priorities should be.
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Aug 15, 2012 12:00pm
Rolling on the floor laughing!, how true, the vanity of the politicians.
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Aug 15, 2012 11:17am
Very impressive sister India! India can afford $100M for a space probe to Mars but would not create environment that should leave country with no homeless and without poverty and illetracy. the question is to all human race, can someone justify need for race to the Moon, Mars and in-between-&-beyond? Man cannot fight even droughts right here on earth. So what benefits are being missed if we donot have knowledge about the Moon, Mars, Jupiter and so on so forth? Get a life brainos. We cannot solve human problems but want to march ahead to know about other planets. I look for comments from the so-called space research enthusiasts.
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Aug 15, 2012 11:13am
first get rid of poverty
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Aug 15, 2012 11:07am
India needs to keep investing in all fronts. Defence, Infrastucture, food, education, health etc and yes Space Program too. I wish we in Pakistan could even dream of these things. Our politicials are too busy looting this country.
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Aug 15, 2012 10:41am
Yeah they already have resolved .. They used to go in fields . :) ...Dud its not the place to resolve these issue .. Because whole govt is trying to resolve but still its on progress .
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Aug 16, 2012 03:15pm
Dear My Pakistani Friends
Namaskar
I only read comments, I not ready what authors write above. as per all comments now I feel I m living in a poor country where no transport, not road, no electricity, even every body going to die without food. but this is not truth, your govt. your media keep you in dark. Dont take any otherwise. I respect all
Thanks
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Aug 16, 2012 12:41pm
I love this saying. It is so apt for Pakistan and its nuclear weapons program.
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Aug 16, 2012 11:21am
Dear Govt., Go wherever yuu want and can. But never to miseries and hardship of poor and common man. Its good luck that at least you offer lip services.
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Aug 16, 2012 10:48am
The question is achieving something here, not comparing one thing with other, India has in past successfully launched many satellites independently, Moon Mission was a success, good step by India as it keeps itself a goal ahead, you achieve only when you have goal.
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Aug 17, 2012 10:29am
The world spends 3.3 billion dollars on military expenditures every day. Most of this can be used to achieve universal clean water, literacy and poverty reduction for the world's poor children. Space research expenditure is always an extension of military spending whether declared or undeclared. It is time to give governments of the world a haller to spend more resources on uplifting the poor.
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Aug 15, 2012 10:26am
Ghar may nahi daanay, Amma chali bhunanay.
( there are is no corn at home yet the old lady has gone to roast them )
Governments should set their priorities right and help the poor citizens first!
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Aug 15, 2012 10:25am
Because its not required here sir !
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Aug 15, 2012 10:16am
Nobody is adding anything here its a AFP news ( Associated Foregin Press) and you will see the same text all over the world news papers
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Aug 15, 2012 10:15am
Article is by AFP - Agence France Presse - and not by DAWN.
Stop being so paranoid!
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Aug 15, 2012 10:07am
People in rural areas do not have bathrooms. can we resolve that first?
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Aug 15, 2012 01:21pm
Your are absolutely correct.First solve the problems of poor friends who live with you.Share your bread with them
Help other. This is an attitude of some selfish people.
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Aug 15, 2012 01:16pm
Actually, it is really a false choice. India has the money to invest $10M in space program and another v$100M in poverty reduction (India actually already spends more than that).
The problem is the totally corrupted public administration system, that renders all poverty reduction effort useless. On the other hand, Space program is run by an independent agency, public of course, but not the IAS. This means they take on specific projects and actually get it done.
Thats why you see this dicothomy.
In fact, if India were to cancell the space program and divert the money to poverty reduction programs, we would have the worst o both world - poverty would still remain, and we would have no rockets!
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Aug 15, 2012 09:45am
India’s planned Mars mission comes as the government has been under pressure over issues such as massive power shortages and the nation’s poor transport infrastructure.
Blackouts on two consecutive days this month knocked out power in vast swathes of the country.
why did u add this to this story?
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Aug 15, 2012 09:56am
And why not ?
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Aug 15, 2012 03:44pm
they do not need bathrooms they have the whole countryside to themselves unlike us we have 4 walls and a roof in the city and we call it comfort ??!!!
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Aug 15, 2012 03:52pm
It's good to see India is progressing in space program but it would be nice if they spend more money to cater poverty. I am sure both efforts can be done in parallel
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Aug 15, 2012 04:06pm
this was the first huge blackout since 2000 because of equipment failure. Power blackouts are common in US too and areas more vaster than this.. It does not mean anything. Power got resptred after replacing the equipment in just few days..
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Aug 16, 2012 03:04pm
If India was just busy removing poverty instead of running critical space program along , then it would not have been self sufficient in sending all those satellites for itself and now for other countries too. This is another way for India to earn foreign exchange which in turn can be used to remove poverty. Also these kind of space program have made India a global power in missile technology as well in absence of which it would have had to depend upon Russia or US. Of course India needs to keep focus of getting people out of poverty as well.
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Aug 15, 2012 04:36pm
The problem of poverty in India is not money. Even if India starts spending billions more it is not guaranteed to produce favorable results. The problem is in the implementation of programs that are not delivering expected results. The cost of Mars mission is 60-90 millions US dollars. Anyone who has an idea of how much India spends on poverty eradication programs knows that it spends not in millions but in billions each year. If India can spend 6 billions US dollars in Afghanistan reconstruction efforts in can also afford to spend money on its own people.
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Aug 16, 2012 10:51am
Anyone who has been in India and seen the infrastructure and poverty knows that this space program won't make it to Mars before 2116. But, its good political statement for congress.
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Aug 15, 2012 06:46pm
If India did not invest in Science and Technology, Scientists and Engineers will have limited opportunities at home. This Brain Drain affects India and lack of job opportunities will also mean that people are not pulled out of poverty. I would rather see these type of opportunities created rather than just freebies and subsidies being doled out in the name of alleviating poverty. To resolve poverty in parallel, simply save cost by reducing the security detail of politicians and checking their Swiss accounts.
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Aug 15, 2012 07:32pm
Pakistan has never had a space mission fail.
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Aug 16, 2012 11:01am
when there is will there is a way
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Aug 16, 2012 11:22am
excellent comment Mr.great.Indian...
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Aug 15, 2012 11:33pm
Yep and they wont send an unmanned airship, that air ship will have Rajni Kant fully loaded...
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Aug 16, 2012 01:10am
Just like when Pakistan said we will eat grass but develop nukes. India can say they will go to Mars despite poverty.
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Aug 16, 2012 03:32am
a laudable effort.
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Aug 16, 2012 03:51am
70-90 million dollars more for poverty alleviation spent by the government is not going to do any good. This is because first, this amount pales in comparison to the money already being spent and second, we need trillions to get rid of poverty. On the other hand, there are huge benefits of these space programs as well. These create immense technological and scientific know-how in the country. Most of the missions are done in cooperation with Indian hi-tech companies like L&T etc. So once the money has been invested in research, L&T and other such India companies are competing with huge foreign companies in the hi-tech economy. This cannot be anything but excellent for India. More revenues, jobs and further propagation of know-how. Its a win win scenario.
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Aug 16, 2012 12:25pm
I am a Pakistani and I wish Pakistan also set and implemented such ambitious targets. Good luck to India! They have done it in the past and I am sure they would succeed in the future. Yes, there is poverty in India but believe you me the only way out of poverty is self-reliance and technological development. I am sure, just like the US, India has structured plans to channelize the advancements made in space technology into commercial and industrial areas to spread the benefit to the public at large.
Pakistan has it's own set of challenges - internal security being the top. Just this morning, Minhas airbase was attacked by foreign militants. Also the same morning, the ugly sectarian monster showed it's teeth again, 20 innocent people were killed at point blank range.
I am certain Pakistan will come out of these difficult times.
In the end - good luck to India - it's an inspiration for the Pakistani youth.
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Aug 16, 2012 05:23am
This article clearly reflects the auther's jealous over Indias success in space program. Do you think China has overcome traffic problem, poverty etc? I have read many reports about Indias success stories here and all the time the authers add some extra line about powerty, and other unrelated problems.
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Aug 16, 2012 06:00am
Hi Avat!
They are trying to remove poverty but what to do, it keeps on increasing! Also, this comes from every corner! Government is first trying poverty from ministry level, then beaurocrats, then middle men............ and last is aam janata! Someone said that remove poors and poverty will be eradicated.
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Aug 16, 2012 06:23am
Indian progress in all area...Same like other super power. Yes! poverty and infrastructure is problem for India. But india doing well in all front.....Go India...
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Aug 16, 2012 08:02am
Does doing well in Science and Technology come with a prerequisite of being a rich nation? Is Science and Tech a sole property of nations with no poverty? Moreover, doesn't science ultimately help in solving problems related to diverse fields?
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Aug 16, 2012 04:54pm
Thank you for a positive spin/perspective to the story. Yes,poverty alleviation, and technology development must go hand in hand and they are not mutually exclusive.
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Aug 16, 2012 06:54pm
It is like saying I should not spend money in educating my children because I am poor and sometimes I cannot purchase milk for the family. I should purchase milk first
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Aug 16, 2012 06:56pm
Writer??? Sir/Ma'am, the articles been reported by the AFP!
Dont go on now telling me ISI has deep undercover agents in the AFP now trying desperately to sideline
India' s Space Program!
P.S: I am a Pakistani. i wish India the very best of luck on their space exploration programmes. At least inspite of all that plagues it, the country is still well off on the road to progress.
Wish Pakistan's SUPARCO wasn't this crappy!
May the Generals of our great army have jolly more begged CSF credits on their knees, while the taliban do their thing.
May our Politicians and their incompetent sons inherit the next gov. MAy they further loot our nation tlll there is nothing left.
Only then when all is lost will these imbeciles realize you cant drink money and eat gold.
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Aug 16, 2012 07:33pm
So that 2.5% Brahmins will jump with glee and boast about it. Bravo good job done.
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Aug 16, 2012 07:38pm
No water to Drink and investing in Mars, Shame, Shame, by a Citizen of India, BTM Layout, Bangalore
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Aug 16, 2012 08:08pm
One thing i cannot understand why people is always talking about India's poverty,do they mean that India's should idle and not do any thing because there is only one issue poverty.Remember one thing no country can reduce poverty without proper nation building i.e the country's advancement in all scientific,manufacturing ,infrastructure etc etc field.The logic is before you expect return on your investment you yourself 1st need to invest and India is exactly doing the same thing first investing money in space technology and then getting money by launching foreign satellites.These money in turn spend on health,education and reducing poverty.
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Aug 17, 2012 12:20am
Thanks Mirzabhai
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Aug 17, 2012 02:58am
Good to see a positive outlook of India from a pakistani.
Yes. what you said is spot on.
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Aug 17, 2012 03:02am
Its a shame for many Indians if they see your post.
There is no way India can improve without technological advancements.
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Aug 17, 2012 03:05am
People like you said the same even for the Moon mission (chandrayan).
Later the whole world was praising India for the mission.
No point in being a pessimist. If you say India is same since pre-independence era, then you have not changed, but the country has moved forward
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Aug 17, 2012 04:01am
Thanks for the support.
But poverty cannot be dealt by spending money on poor people...instead by creating jobs.
Learn a man to fish, he will learn how to fish instead of giving the fish to him.
This is the hard yet the only way to eliminate poverty and people should come out of the habit of begging governments for free money.
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Aug 17, 2012 04:04am
How to get rid of poverty?
By giving money to people?
pls explain. Its easier said than done.
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Aug 18, 2012 06:32am
Its embarrasing post written by Deepak. Inspite of all our challenges we as a indian are united. all countries have one or other problems. Which country is 100% perfect. Shame on you writting such comment. Specially when you are in Bangalore. You cant just ignore the hard work and effort of indian waste by writting such foolish comment.
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