India vs America: Earthling invaders in race to MARS

India and America are locked into a race to Mars - but it looks as if the Yanks will get there first. On Sunday, NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft will complete its 10 month journey and go into orbit around the Red Planet. Its 442 million mile trip will conclude with a tricky manouvere which …

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sorry, I think India should be spending it's cash on bringing the basic necessities to it's provincial population before it piles billions into space.

And now the obvious coment....

First call-centre on Mars anyone? I'm sure the salaries there will be even cheaper than on the Asian continent of earth.

[SteveK]

I'm sorry, I think India should be spending it's cash on bringing the basic necessities to it's provincial population before it piles billions into space.

I think you'll find $74 million closer to the mark than 'billions'.

And if they can show they can do it for a pittance compared to what other nations are spending then they'll probably be able to sell their services.

[Anonymous Coward]

oh well

That can easily come out of 295 million pounds we give them every year.

[Destroy All Monsters]

Re: oh well

I think the US should be spending it's cash on bringing the basic necessities to it's provincial population

I'm sorry?? I can't hear you over the noise of all the money printing and bomb-dropping.

Also: "MILITARY CUT THE BONE AND MORE." Then MRAPs turn up at granny's police shack....

[Raj]

Re: oh well

That money goes straight under the reparations header in our central accounts.

[Tom 38]

I'm sorry, I think the US should be spending it's cash on bringing the basic necessities to it's provincial population before it piles billions into space.

[Chris G]

Short sighted comment

India is developing it's launch capabilities and reliability very well,just on the basis of being able to place other people's satellites, they have the potential for a billion dollar industry which will help them to bring more to all the population.

[Trigonoceps occipitalis]

Re: Short sighted comment

Call me cynical but a space programme launcher is a good surrogate for an ICBM. No idea if this is the case.

[Mage]

About 1 bowl of rice

India's poor would rather that India has a space program that creates employment.

in 2013 India's population was 1.252 billion

They spent about 6c per person.

[Martin Budden]

Every time there is an El Reg article about MOM there are comments about poverty vs science, unwanted aid, and general racism. Every. Fucking. Time. Can we please stop with this crap and concentrate on the mission itself? Please???

[Raj]

It's jealousy and crab mentality on display. When someone accomplishes something, others pile on pulling them down.

[Phil O'Sophical]

India is searching for life by looking for methane.

Would this be indications of an ancient Martian curry shop?

[Nuno]

they are, obviously, looking for cows

[Anonymous Coward]

Good luck to both

Especially India, as they seem to have a clue about how to do it reasonably cheaply.

[Destroy All Monsters]

War in the Pocket!

It would be awesome if these where like giant robots and stuff and a fistfight or a flaming-sword-fight would break out on the way.

[rvt]

In all honesty,

is it really 'just' 74Million? I wonder what part of this mission is 75 million, eg, what has been build and done for it... Start to Finnish, not counting re-usable items like launch platforms, of course including any modifications for this project for re-usable items...

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Depends how you bill the internal costs.

But if you have government/universities doing all the work and you don't account for them at 200% overhead how much would the actual parts/raw materials cost you ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not sure it is that big of an accomblishement

For India to do something that has been done many times before

No different then building a copy of the Wright Flyer and having it fly on the first attempt - is is relatively easy to do something the second time.

[Mage]

Re: Not sure it is that big of an accomblishement

Beagle anyone?

USA needlessly messed one too by mixing Metric & imperial.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: Not sure it is that big of an accomblishement

No it's the French building a monoplane and flying across the channel after the Americans built a plane and flew across a field

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Not sure it is that big of an accomblishement

So, the US built the SR 71 and nothing has come close since.

Not sure what your point was.