Comments on: Indian Probe Successfully Crash-Lands on the Moon

By: ContainsCaffeine

ContainsCaffeine — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:30:07 +0000

I’m still trying to figure out what “successfully crash-lands” means.

But seriously, can’t we just celebrate science for science’s sake? Even if you don’t support the Chinese government (for a number of good reasons), that doesn’t mean that their scientific contributions are necessarily tainted. Should we resist scientific progress in certain countries because we don’t like their politics?

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:40:25 +0000

So, how do we get to view the photos of the surface scans that either China or India took. Will we see airbrushing done to them like the nasa photos?

By: Angry

Angry — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:43:01 +0000

This article is humiliating for China. Please remove it.

By: Curious

Curious — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:53:04 +0000

Well, the just comparison could be the Ranger series of probes previous to the Apollos…

By: Denitsa

Denitsa — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:03:29 +0000

I’m glad India did what it hoped for. It was high time to see other players in the space business. Competition lead to progress.

By: Abhay Dang

Abhay Dang — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:59:03 +0000

Caven, you are missing an important point here. There is a whole lot of things we don’t know about the Earth, let alone the moon. The Chandrayaan will amongst other things prepare a 3D map of the moon and look for Helium (which could be a source of clean energy in the future).

This is no fiction. This is the reality.

By: Neelam

Neelam — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:29:52 +0000

Caven, This is no comedy! Launching a moon mission at 1/10 th of NASA’s Budget is no fun I guess….Also like US, India doesnt have the privilige of having the best brains in the world who study in MITs and Caltechs…..and get generous paychecks. Indian scientists are homegrown and most have not gone to Ivys, they live on salaries which is way less than NASA’s. But I guess they just proved their innovation capabilities and their immense dedication to do science! This is no fun buddy!, certainly not a comedy!

By: Caven

Caven — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:06:14 +0000

Crashing into the moon is like the Armstrong/Aldrin landing 40 years ago?
I didn’t realize this fiction was comedy.

By: Sally

Sally — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:19:19 +0000

Muks, I hesitate to agree with you on the Chinese space program and your attitude toward China. Each country has its own way of conducting affairs concerning itself, just as you and me have the right to say here our own ideas.You declare India develops its space program for civilian purpose, but how can judge China does not? I doubt a single person like you can tell the differences between two nations’ motivations toward their space skemes, and to say that in front of the world is not a responsible action.

By: Saff

Saff — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:12:13 +0000

Venkat, can you please clarify what flight dynamics ISRO has learnt from ESA? Space and satellite networks have been used and offered to by many nations. It’s certainly helpful to use DSNs in US when India is turned the other way from the Moon, but the main C&C center still is ISTRAC/ Bayalu. Also if you remember ISRO changed it’s orbital plan to the classical Hohmann transfer after blasting from SHAR. Thats because it had to emperically calibrate it’s instruments in real time itself. There is nothing that ESA or NASA could possibly help in flight dynamics except maybe some proof reading type consultancy. Tell that to an ISRO person and he or she’ll feel put down the way you are putting it.

By: Venkat

Venkat — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 20:20:03 +0000

NASA provided access to Deep space network at Canberra, Madrid and Goldstone for Chandrayaan. Indians greatly appreciated the help given to them by NASA. ESA too helped india in Flight dynamics and data archiving. In return Indians are sharing the data with the europeans on all instruments.

Despite that it was a great effort by us. Showing despite the lack of funds the ingenuity of indian scientists made all this possible. Very few nations have this capability.

By: Saff

Saff — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:02:02 +0000

The Indian space program is pretty independent of NASA. Till now ISRO was pretty much under sanctions. ISRO had to struggle every bit of the way to do what it has done. It’s remote sensing capability and communication satellites are state of art, the Chinese don’t have satellites on the league that ISRO has developed and launched. Important thing is ISRO has returned 2 dollars for every 1 dollar spent on it’s space program. ISROs programs are much more open and shared than other countries, despite denial of technology including basic microprocessors for it’s launch vehicle. (ISRO even had to develop it’s own Vikram processor chips for the vehicle). ISRO is doing science like it is meant to be done. There is pride surely in such events, but pride is not ISROs prime motivator. Science is. Congratulations ISRO!

By: Muks Melbourne

Muks Melbourne — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:34:37 +0000

Indian space program is totally civilian and in collabaration with NASA and ESA. Ask Chinese space programs, all hidden no one knows what it does, from underground subs, to taking war in space by blowing up its own ageing satelite; now if you look at Chang’e what else world knows except 5 pictures (which does not make any sense) and a small brief.
China has become world Authority and forcing the world to do what she wants… Asking Sarkozy not to meet The Dalai Lama, it has started medelling in internal affairs of countries, a height of new low…

What India’s does in space science is for its growth and Bi-lateral relationship with countries unlike china.
There is no means to compare Indians Space program and Chinese military programs,