The Hindu Business Line : Over the moon

Chandrayaan-1 establishes India as a scientific, economic and strategic power but it would be wrong to view it as a mere exhibition of national might.

With the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1, India has joined a select band of nations — the US, Russia, Japan, China and those represented by the European Space Agency — that are engaged in lunar exploration. While Chandrayaan-1 establishes India as a scientific, economic and strategic power, it would be wrong to view the mission as a mere exhibition of national might. There is much to be gained from learning about the minerals on the Moon’s surface. The 11 scientific payloads will orbit the Moon for two years, mapping it in detail for the presence of magnesium, aluminium, thorium, silicon, iron, titanium and helium-3. Helium-3 is a key fuel for nuclear fusion, which is expected to become commercially viable in the near future. Once that happens, the Moon’s helium-3 will become important, as the Earth has limited reserves. Experts believe it is possible to transport helium through space shuttle missions. With India and China being major global energy consumers, their interest in lunar exploration is no surprise. The unfolding world energy crisis might have played a role in the recent increase in missions to the Moon. Japan and China launched a lunar probe last year, and before that the US sent up a shuttle in 2003.

India’s lunar exploration effort is commendable, not just for its long-term vision — Chandrayaan-2, to be launched within the next two years in partnership with Russia, will place a ‘rover’ to roam the Moon’s surface — but also for its shoe-string budget. Chandrayaan-1 has been accomplished at a cost of Rs 386 crore, or just Rs 3.86 per Indian, while Chandrayaan-2 is expected to cost a little over Rs 400 crore. A lunar launch by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) would have cost six times as much. Besides, ISRO tries to recover costs by launching satellites for others on a commercial basis.

When ISRO came into being in the 1970s, its founder, Vikram Sarabhai, was particular about linking space programmes to the concerns of the common man. ISRO has been faithful to his vision, setting up a satellite network that maps meteorological trends, tracks changes in forest cover, and has made distance learning and tele-medicine possible. Contrary to what critics may say, the government should continue to support such initiatives. That said, ISRO should take care not to be swept away by grandiose projects that have little economic benefits or technological spin-offs to offer. The benefits and costs of a mission to Mars or putting a man on the moon should be carefully examined.

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