back to article India preps craft for first mission to Mars

Not to be outdone by China in the space race, India is set to flex its muscles on the world stage, planning a mission to Mars late next year. K Radhakrishnan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), told reporters on Saturday that there will be a definitive announcement on the scientific research-based …

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  1. Deadly_NZ
    IT Angle

    Got to get in quick to stake your claim. Well the first Dairy on Mars has to have Location, Location, Location.

  2. Just a random academic
    Joke

    India...

    does have the largest population of buffalo in the world, perhaps they're planning to open a buggalo ranch there before the Wongs can?

  3. Deadmonty
    Facepalm

    We paid for this...

    This is a country to whom we give financial aid. They cannot afford to feed their own people, but can spend money on a mission to Mars.

    1. MrXavia
      Holmes

      Re: We paid for this...

      Completely agree with you! if they can afford a space program, they don't need aid from us!

      I would much rather we spend the millions in aid we send on a space program of our very own!

      1. Citizen Kaned

        Re: We paid for this...

        or even use the tax money collected to help us back in the UK. in hard times why the hell are we helping a country who seem to be better of that us anyway.

      2. VinceH
        Joke

        Re: We paid for this...

        Don't think of it so much as providing financial aid, and think of it instead as outsourcing our space programme.

    2. BristolBachelor Gold badge
      Coat

      Re: We paid for this...

      I'm not sure who "we" is, but I suspect you are in the USA? Just to be sure, is this the USA that spends more on "defense" than any other country on the planet by a large margin? Is engaged in wars with various contries? Has to borrow / print new money to pay the interest on its debts? The same USA that also has to rely on charity to feed some of its people or provide them with essential healthcare?

      Just askin'

      1. SkippyBing

        Re: We paid for this...

        If you're from Bristol you'll find that not only is it your government giving aid to India, but that they're insisting on doing it despite the Indians saying they really don't want it thanks very much.

      2. Deadmonty

        Re: We paid for this...

        "We" is the UK, where we send loads of money to India to feed their poverty stricken populace because they can't be arsed as they have nuclear weapons and space missions to fund.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @BristolBachelor

        Don't let ignorance get in the way of an irrelevant anti USA rant. (not an American, but unlike you I do know enough about current affairs to know the UK sends money to India)

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

          1. Citizen Kaned

            Re: The UK can be proud of what aid to India has achieved.

            and i admire that but at the same time shouldnt they actually spend their money on their people? why should we foot the bill? basically we are paying for their space program, when we cant even afford our own.

            surely they show they dont need the money after all?

            i know a lot of it is for trade reasons but its a hard pill to swallow when my tax money is taken and given to a country to refuse to help their own people and spend it on Mars missions.

            1. NomNomNom

              Re: The UK can be proud of what aid to India has achieved.

              didn't you know that britain is an indian colony?

              1. Citizen Kaned

                Re: The UK can be proud of what aid to India has achieved.

                ex colony. we have no say in their affairs any more. (since the 50s/60s IIRC)

                i might be wrong but that is what i think i know ;)

              2. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                @NomNom

                Maybe you should have used the joke alert icon to help those of us who aren't quite awake... ;)

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: The UK can be proud of what aid to India has achieved.

            'and i admire that but at the same time shouldnt they actually spend their money on their people? why should we foot the bill? basically we are paying for their space program, when we cant even afford our own.'

            Yes they should and its shameful that so many people in India have almost nothing and rely on our aid. But we shouldn't ignore some of the poorest people in the world just because their own government doesn't do enough for them.

            And we could afford a space programme if we chose, our leaders have decided that its not terribly important so we're not only the only country to ever give up a space programme, but we're only fringe players in ESA. Doubling or tripling our expenditure on space would hardly be a huge imposition and it would be repaid manyfold because Britain is actually bloody good at this with both Astrium and SurreySat as big players in the satellite business.

          3. Saganhill

            Re: The UK can be proud of what aid to India has achieved.

            But shouldnt India be supporting herself without aid?

    3. sabba
      Mushroom

      Re: We paid for this...

      Ooh, sorry, got confused for a moment. When I read your posting about having a space programme but not being able to feed their own people I thought you must be talking about the good old US of A. :-)

    4. Paranoid-Android
      FAIL

      Re: We paid for this...

      No, you did not. All your aid is conditional and self serving. Your govt "aids" other countries so your companies can sell goods to those countries with that "aid money". Please snap out of your illusion.

      If you really want to aid the third world how about open sourcing all your patents?

  4. ukgnome
    Trollface

    Apparently

    Mission control will be outsourced to Sri Lanka

    1. sabba
      Trollface

      Re: Apparently

      Pakistan will handle re-entry.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Dear Mr. or Mrs. Astronaut,

    Thank you for calling Mission Control. We have recorded that you have a problem. One of our representatives will call you in 48 hours. Meanwhile please try turning your spaceship on and off again.

  6. squigbobble
    Flame

    I wonder...

    ...how the cost of this mission stacks up against how much the Rotary Club and Bill Gates Foundation have been spending to eradicate polio in India.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I wonder...

      The Govt of India does spend a shedload on various societal welfare schemes, problem is most of the money/ resources are stolen by corrupt officials/ businesses at every level and the purported beneficiaries get very little.

      See http://indiabudget.nic.in/ub2012-13/bag/bag41.pdf

      Social Services (*** a mixed bag of things) Rs 178,906 cr

      That's about GBP 20.8 b.

      As opposed to this, the budget for Atomic Energy/ Space is:

      - Dept of Space: Rs 5,615 cr

      - Dept of Atomic Energy: Rs 11,673 cr

      Ref: http://indiabudget.nic.in/ub2012-13/bag/bag42.pdf

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Good to see that they have their priorities right. I mean, who really needs sanitation anyhow when it comes right down to it?

    1. implicateorder
      WTF?

      Racist diatribes!

      Wtf with these racist diatribes against india? Your ancestors bled india dry of all its wealth for 200 years...that too like some sneaky, underhanded little cheats.

      Grow up and deal with it brats...lobby your government to stop try and pretend to be what your nation isnt anymore --relevant on a global scale. India will do what it has to do...another 20 years and your future generations will be lining up for work permits to india...

      1. SkippyBing

        Re: Racist diatribes!

        That may be a slight over reaction, there was no racism in the previous post merely some statements of fact, i.e the Indian government has decided to spend some of its money on a space program rather than a sanitation program. That's its prerogative, it's just a bit galling when your own country is funding the sanitation program instead and you haven't even got a space program.

        1. implicateorder
          WTF?

          Re: Racist diatribes!

          What does sanitation have to do with space Exploration?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: "What does sanitation have to do with space exploration"

            When you got to go, you got to go, whether in space or elsewhere.

          2. Fatman
            Joke

            Re: What does sanitation have to do with space Exploration?

            I can explain that one with only one word:

            Priorities

            At this point, I will end this discussion, or else I might start making suggestions about your intelligence.

      2. JaitcH
        FAIL

        Re: Racist diatribes!

        India is both sexist and racist. (They kill unborn female children to increase male births).

        And it is high time Britain stopped sending money to support this 'struggling' nation. Using birth control would be a big start.

        1. implicateorder
          Headmaster

          Re: Racist diatribes!

          Go control your own population. India is doing quite well thank you, despite the best efforts of your nation.

          As far as your aid is concerned, tell your government spend it on local educational initiatives..might makeyou lads a bit more competitive.

  8. Purlieu

    I just hope ...

    .... that we are not sending aid to India, if they have enough spare cash already to build a Mars mission FFS

    1. squigbobble
      Facepalm

      Re: I just hope ...

      If by 'we' you mean the UK, then yes. I presume it helps UK business (i.e. various ministers' country club chums) to get more contracts in India, or some crap like that. Yes, I mean a intergovernmental backhander.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

        1. SkippyBing

          Re: @squig

          To be fair if aid is tied the UK government are doing their usual sterling job of f***ing up the contract. All the aid we send to India and they choose French warplanes...

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Blimey

    We are having Mars rockets in space.

    I wonder if old Charlie Britain will be sending more cash?

  10. TeeCee Gold badge
    Coat

    Next week:

    India proposes manned mission to open first call-centre on Mars.

  11. NomNomNom

    sad that most of the commenters can only think about money.

    1. Martin Huizing
      FAIL

      Had to reply here...

      "The proposed Mars mission will apparently be focussed on the Red Planet’s origins and evolution, its climate and geography and whether life can be sustained there."

      What can they possibly discover what the Americans haven't already discovered?

      NASA has not exactly been holding out on information, have they? I think money would be better spend on a joint operation than going at it themselves.

      It's like saying they want to have the first man on the moon, again!

  12. Jdoe1

    For what purpose

    More rare materials leaving this planet.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Dell's tech support seems to coming from Mars already.

  14. Captain DaFt
    Joke

    In the year 2027

    As your ship lifts off from the Mars Station to return to earth, you get this final message from Mars Station Control:

    "Thank you, come again!"

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