Slashdot Mirror
India Moves To Put Its First Man In Space By 2016
An anonymous reader writes with this snippet from the International Business Times: "India plans to launch its first manned space mission in 2016, moving to become the fourth nation to put a man in space. Space scientists and senior officials of the state-run ISRO are preparing a pre-project report to build the infrastructure and facilities for the mission, estimated to cost a $2.76 billion. 'We are planning a human space flight in 2016, with two astronauts who will spend seven days in the Earth's lower orbit,' Radhakrishnan told reporters at ISRO headquarters in Bangalore. In September, India's Chandrayaan-1 satellite discovered water on the moon, boosting India's credibility among established space-faring nations"
Man in space. I eat saag paneer to celebrate! I love ravi.
would be putting its last man in space well before that, with NASA being "canned"
For the sake of whoever is getting sent up, I hope that they build spacecraft better than they build software, because all of the software I've seen written over there has been pretty damn awful. It's far below the quality I'd ever seen in America and Europe.
This is actually a really good FP if you are Desi.
But I am not doubting the intent. In fact, it is refreshing to see a nation not simply looking at short term but thinking in terms of long term goals but in a concrete way. Its a great thing to have the community of nations dedicated to space exploration expanding in any case.
ACK
While in geo-synchronise orbit over every major continent, call center employees will be available to answer your computer questions both day and night.
Space vs. Software
For the sake of whoever is getting sent up, I hope that they build spacecraft better than they build software, because all of the software I've seen written over there has been pretty damn awful.
I hope EVERYBODY builds spacecraft better than they build software. India does not have a monopoly on crappy software by any means; it's pretty much the status quo for almost everyone.
-- Terry
The US will be able to outsource space exploration overseas!!! Oh goody.
--Greg
... the "dot" Indians... not the "wooo wooo wooo" Indians....
I've been around (the world) because of my work as a stewardess. A lot of the people I've met who've encountered an Indian dislike them. They do not say it openly as to avoid being accused of racist. But a lot of them really do hate that race.
As for me, I've tried to stay away from judging others by their race. But it can't be helped when all of the Indians I've met are rude and conceited. I always had Indian passengers and they are really abusive and arrogant. Most of my passengers regardless of race, were reasonably demanding with the kind of customer service we give them- I say it is only right.
But Indians are different, they demand like they have never been served before! They always think they deserve more! Lets say I have an Australian passenger, she will ask for normal things such as a drink, and then she's happy. But with an Indian, they ask it repeatedly and always demand for more- and still they are not satisfied nor happy. They bought a ticket and they think that they own the plane. Even other passengers are annoyed with them. They are very noisy. Even if, lets say they stay in economy, they are even more arrogant and demanding than our first class passengers who are mostly just quiet and refined.
What I really don't like about them is they COMPLAIN a lot! Complaining is normal when our services come short. But to complain for unreasonable things (such as asking for the kind of services we provide in 1st class even if they are only in economy) are really irritating.
Oh, and I've never met an Indian who was humble. They are always bragging about anything they'd achieve. Like how he'd studied in this college or how he'd gone to America, or how he'd work for this company. They are always conceited.
An Indian co-worker is just as bad! I admit that they are really good with "communication" despite their heavy accents, however I somehow dislike their know-it-all attitude. I think it would be too much to write when I begin ranting about this. So let it be.
Now I'm not saying they are all like this. There is no perfect race. But I am still yet to find a very nice and quiet Indian, because for now, all i have are bad memories with this race.
I say they use the Indian rope trick to setup a space elevator. Between the weaving needed for the cable and the hundreds of millions of people with those flute things to lift it, I think they have the technology to make this happen.
If you didn't come to party don't bother knocking on my door. Prince '1999'
So, Russia, US, China (yes?), then India... but by what standards? There was an Israeli on the Columbia shuttle, but does he not count 'cause the US put him there? Do the JAXA and ESA astronauts on the ISS not count? I mean, good for India, but I don't think they're the fourth country to have someone in space, and besides its still "only" low orbit we're talking about. Did the Russians even get out of orbit, or was it only the Apollo program?
Obligatory comment about competition in returning to space, etc.
I'm really interested to see what the general populace's response will be when other nations start going into space, landing on the moon, etc. versus what the U.S. space program will be doing at that time.
Can anyone chime in with NASA's current timetables? Could there be public outcry for more NASA funding, or will there just be a media campaign to make our space program *sound* relevant?
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Do you know what the worlds two biggest economies were 400 years ago? India and China. Do you know what the worlds two biggest economies will be in 50 years?
Western dominance is an anomaly. We jumped ahead a touch with movable type and steam engines, maintained our lead by force rather than further innovation (the creative minority became simple a dominant minority) and now the historical status quo is being restored.
If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we shoot people for Apollo-related non-sequiturs?
with the US's new direction. It's now official. Technical leadership has been ceded to Asia.
Maybe it's time to elect some politicians interested in space.
American Third Position
Finally, a real choice!
The more alternatives for manned space flight, the less dependent we become on the space agency of one single nation. An agency that battles not only technical difficulties but also perpetual budget problems.
I hope for more international cooperation in the future. Sending up your own astronauts gets your country a fair bit of prestige. Sending up astronauts from other nations also gets you friends.
nothing here.
Especially for the many millions of Indians without a basic education and sanitation. They'll remain illiterate and crapping in the streets, but they will feel extatic about their fellow Indian in space.
agreed!!! dala nbi tijaskanumori vika tumala keema naan
...four years after the US gives up that capability.
...and thirty more clinging to its exterior, along with all their baggage, and dozens of live chickens.
It is a good thing (IMHO) to see more countries developing their own space programs to send their own astronauts to space. To my knowledge, only Russia, U.S. and China have programs that have done so.
Competition always fosters excellence in all areas of academics & sciences.
Americans break their treaties with Indians again and moving their reservations into space? Greedy oil and mineral companies want all land. Oops, wrong Indians!
NASA isn't completely shutting down it's manned space program with the cancellations, they are just 'off-shoring' it to India...
HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
Once they get this technology up and running we can outsource our space science to them too.
I think I could be helpful in producing the needed processed materials.
ccarson is well-known for replying to FP's with goatse/2g1c links. Please mod down appropriately.
Actually, those are directly related. Part of the reason NASA doesn't have the cash to boldly go, is that they're busy maintaining the ISS, a giant metal albatross. And when one person says "drop the thing and move on," another says "oh, it'd be a shame to waste it just as we're finishing construction".
Revive the Constitution.
If an Indian gives you a time estimate, you need to double it.
"The word is derived from the Sanskrit Jaganntha[1] (meaning "Lord of the Universe") which is one of the many names of Krishna from the ancient Vedic scriptures of India." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggernaut
Seems like a perfect fit to me.
In other news, Greece has reconfirmed its plans to send men into space, choosing to call them Argonauts. However, critics cite that their plans are "a few thousand years" behind schedule, and technical experts are skeptical of the viability of sheep skin space suits.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
How do they get their spacesuit helmets to fit over their turbans????
So starting in 2017, technical support calls for Hewlett Packard will be routed to space?
Let's hope they can make something sustainable and profitable (Hint: Manned space-based low earth orbit solar power stations are where the money is going to be guys).
Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
The moon's first H1B.
So beginning in 2017, all support calls to Hewlett Packard will be routed to space?
IMF World Economic Outlook says India's economy was up 7.3% in 2008, up 5.6% in 2009, and predicted to be up 7.7% in 2010. China's economy was up 9.6% in 2008, up 8.7% in 2009, and predicted to be up 10% in 2010. Meanwhile the United States' economy was up 0.4% in 2008, down 2.5% in 2009, and predicted to be up only 2.7% in 2010.
People are keeping a very close eye on emerging market economies like Brazil, Russia, India, China, Mexico, etc. They have been behind, but that means they have a lot of potential to grow, and many of them have been doing a good job at outpacing the United States' economy in recent years.
That all aside, the original comment for this thread was just stupid. In terms of comedic value it was beyond stale. Other than that it's tasteless. I don't think I've ever been on the phone with a tech support rep who was in India. Meanwhile I've been to India twice in the past few years and know that call centers are just about zero percent of their cultural identity. Just because some Americans have some exposure to this one small profession in India, they have extrapolated it into this whole stereotype for an entire country. I guess that's just ignorance.
If there is any stereotype of Americans which is absolutely accurate, it would be that Americans are ignorant.
Imagine the smell in the cramped space module.
Rao Yi, a 47-year-old biologist who left Northwestern University in 2007 to become dean of the School of Life Sciences at Peking University in Beijing, contrasts China’s “soul-searching” with America’s self-satisfaction. When the United States Embassy in Beijing asked him to explain why he wanted to renounce his American citizenship, he wrote that the United States had lost its moral leadership after the 9/11 attacks. But “the American people are still reveling in the greatness of the country and themselves,” he said in a draft letter. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/world/asia/07scholar.html?pagewanted=all
One datum to connect the report from TFA (and sadly but in fact detracting from it) and that elsewhere that the Obama budget contains no funding for Constellation:
If India launches people into space in 2016 it'll be the 4th nation but the 5th organization to do so. After China's manned orbital flights but before India's planned missions, two pilots earned their astronaut wings flying SpaceShipOne. TFA says they plan to stay a week, but the title does just say 'space'. After the Rutan Clan, every nation the sends up a space mission will be 'after a private company'.
True, there's an attempt to leave Constellation off the budget (but wait until after ASAP/BigAero has their say). But there's still ongoing support for private programs developing lunar oriented hardware as well as lift vehicles being developed that could make the attempt.
"I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B
I'm neither Indian, Chinese nor American, but I truly hate the attitude so many American slashdotters have when the US loses out on some international comparison. I am doubtful that India will make it by 2016 unless they use re-engineered Russian technology, but the mere fact that India is trying while America is both staring at its own navel and running around like a headless chicken speaks volumes.
Being a big fan of Indian cuisine I can't but start wondering what kind of meals the Indian space agency will package and send with cosmonauts. Has there any research been done on how to package naan and curries for extended periods of time?
What do you mean, "moving to become the fourth nation to put a man in space"? He was already in space in 1984. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakesh_Sharma
damburger, I've read a few of your posts here in this topic, and they're a riot. I'm serious, I haven't laughed this hard since I saw Revenge of the Nerds, and that was back in the 1980s.
Your pro-India stance is literally the funniest thing I've seen in decades. It's hilarious to see you take yourself and India so seriously, when the rest of the world considers you guys to be a silly joke.
The Commonwealth games (yeah, I know you never heard of it) are supposed to happen ~Oct/10 in New Delhi.
Words are that the preparations aren't going well.
If you cannot even host a sporting competition, it doesn't augur well in a space program.
Is it certain that they have selected a man, rather than a woman - and if so, why? Is it advantageous to have a penis in space?
It is a common error to delude oneself into believing the trappings of power and strength are power and strength themselves. You see it all the time, when folks fritter away their home equity loans on big-vroom SUVs and fancy appliances, allowing ourselves the delusion (for a temporary while) that we've still "got it made", as long as they have these things around them. In truth, had we the wisdom to forgo these external symbols of a comfortable existence, the American Dream would be much more alive today.
I perceive the response to the U.S. withdrawl from manned space exploration in much the same way. "Asia is taking the lead because they're still launching Spam-in-a-Can into space! Therefore, we need to launch more Spam-in-a-Can, and it will make us stronger!" I find there's a certain cargo-cult mistaking of which was cause, and which was effect. In the past, we have had a great deal of technological innovations associated with the space exploration program -- but it is a mistake to think because we're launching rockets we're driving innovation. It is was exactly the other way around; because we had a such strong base in engineering and science we were able to create the technologies to launch those rockets.
China and India's increasing economic and technological competence are what have allowed them to take the lead now, and it's a mistake to think that we can stay ahead if we just keep up with appearances. We can play mid-life crisis and blow our remaining resources on the equivalent of a fancy sports car, and make-believe we're still a studly, vigorous nation. But to the rest of the world, we just look increasingly ridiculous.
It's sad when someone is this unaware of history.
The same criticisms were brought up in the U.S. during the Apollo project. Why send a man to the moon when people in Harlem didn't have basic health services? You might want to check out "Whitey on the Moon" by Gil Scott-Heron. Opening lines:
A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face and arms began to swell.
(and Whitey's on the moon)
I can't pay no doctor bill.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
Ten years from now I'll be payin' still.
(while Whitey's on the moon)
In hindsight, I think you'd agree that the whole manned space thing was probably worth it...
Support microSD: in a post 9/11 world, it is unwise to carry your data on media that you cannot comfortably swallow.
Talk about your playstation generation. 5 years is not long term, except in political circles where it's past the next election.
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
...killing all in order to avoid hitting a sacred cow jumping over the moon.
I foresee the powerful astronaut union becoming upset by the outsourcing of jobs here.
I dont care what color their skin is as long as they aren't stoopid! (can i get a hells yeah?)
"Poverty in India is widespread with the nation estimated to have a third of the world's poor. According to the criterion used by the Planning Commission of India 27.5% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2004-2005"
Perhaps those funds earmarked for space exploration might be better spent on helping people not starve ?