Slashdot Mirror
India Planning Reusable 2-Stage-to-Orbit Vehicle
WoodenKnight writes "India's ISRO Chairman, G Madhavan Nair recently gave a brief description of a fully-reusable 2-stage satellite launch vehicle that is being planned at ISRO. From the article: 'This is in its initial stages of vehicle configuration and the first stage is configured as a winged body configuration, which will attain an altitude of around 100 km and deliver nearly half the orbital velocity. This stage after burnout will re-enter and will be made to land horizontally on the runway, like an aircraft. The second stage after delivering the payload in the orbit will be made to re-enter the atmosphere and will be recovered using airbags either in the sea or land. This is only in its conceptual stage.'"
And best of all, vindaloos to the International Space Station.
I doubt we will see a cold war in Asia. Pakistan does not have near enough resources to compete with India, and China really is pretty indifferent to India. China is focussing on economic development and economic expansion, politacally speaking; though they are building their military, that is more in response to the US.
India just has their few nukes for deterence, and they really have pushes for a comprehensive, enforcable ban on nukes. Not that that is likely, but hey, they seem to be doing all of this in good faith.
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Pakistan may not have enough resources but enough nukes and they have a credible deterrent. True they may not be able to go offensive in a war but they can encourage action in Kashmir & Jammu which is the point of contention right now.
The Chinese and Indians have fought a border war in 1962-1963 and the border regions are still contested. There have been talks but no resolution. Things have been quiet but without a resolution, the dispute could heat up again.
The biggest potential point of conflict is the need for energy and strategic materials by both India and China. Both sides want access to the Central Asian gas and oil resources for their economies. How much friction this causes remains to be seen.
"When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it
Pakistan already has enough nukes to have a credible deterrent. And yeah, they may encourage more action in KJ, if the US does not put enough pressure on them or if Pakistan decides they do not like the US so much anymore. (see recent civilian deaths)
The Chinese and Indians did fight a war but it was pretty much a route of the Indians. And I really do not see the Indians disputing some mile high real-estate at this point. They are a much more mature Democracy not that in the sixties.
Spot on with the last point. I have a feeling that we will see more conflict in the region, as we will in the world. But I think there is a chance that India and China could form an Asian Axis to counteract western influence on Asia and the Middle-East. With the declining prestige, if not power, of the US it does not seem too absurb a possibility. Note that both China and India have petro deals with Iran.
I am just waiting for the Iran Oil Bourse to open(march), assuming the US does not invade first.
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