CNN - INDIA - went to Mars for $74 million

India made a ship that orbited Mars for less than it cost to make the movie "Gravity." CNN's Rachel Crane reports

a reply to: angkory13

I hate to be 'That Guy' but...

It's already been posted.

My question is… why did they go there?

a reply to: intrptr

why cant they

a reply to: PLAYERONE01

why can't they

Because it is there… ?

That only works for stupids that climb the tallest mountains.

Governments do things for very specific reasons. "Exploring" notions are lost in the exorbitant costs involved. Cheaper than some other country matters less than why ever more countries are interested in visiting a cold, radiation baked, dusty rock, millions of miles from the nearest rescue?

Don't say "colonies" either. Thats what they said about the moon 50 years ago, too. We haven't even gone back there.

I

You are missing the point. Why so cheap? It's hindu magic, or corruption sends the costs of west world projects to stratosphere? a reply to: intrptr

a reply to: angkory13

…corruption sends the costs of west world projects to stratosphere?

Preaching to the choir…

Like most Americans I am aware of the corruption in our country. My question was directed at the Indians undertaking a mission like this at all? Whats their stated ultimate goal? One doesn't recanoiter for no reason.

Like most Americans I am aware of the corruption in our country. My question was directed at the Indians undertaking a mission like this at all? Whats their stated ultimate goal? One doesn't recanoiter for no reason.

a reply to: intrptr

well simple as why american do it realy ... to attract external investors and show how mighty they are !

a reply to: Dolby_X

I haven't said this yet, but I entertain the personal opinion that they are all toying with the notion to mine the surface on some fancy, much more expensive return mission in the future.

From space, spectrographic analysis would reveal ore deposits of a potentially lucrative nature. Nobody has been there to collect anything yet. The good stuff litters the landscape, I am sure.

Notice those precious minerals are missing from the narratives?

Theres your sign.

When the Spanish first arrived in south america, it was just to explore, little realising there was a whole mountain of silver waiting to be mined, which, by the way, paid for the Spanish armada, not that it did the Spanish much good!

a reply to: angkory13

Since it's been posted I pop this in(sorry bad quality):
Mexican Space Program

a reply to: intrptr

good question! and its not just India, other nations are also in a hurry to get a close look at mars...

why is that?

is it possible that whoever got the mars data first isnt sharing the good stuff?

i mean compared to OUR space program 74 million aint much of a cost...

but seriously IF you only expect to look at rocks... then its not a wise expense..

OR

they think that theres something there worth looking at that isnt being shared by the info-hoarders at NASA - JPL

India does not have to pay its personnel as handsomely as the US. Also while reaching Mars is quite a feat one would have to look how sophisticated the package is India sent and therefore expensive.

a reply to: uwascallywabbit

they think that theres something there worth looking at that isn't being shared by the info-hoarders at NASA - JPL

Tired of the information vacuum, therefore seeing for themselves? interesting notion. Of course a first look might only cost 74 millions of adjusted dollars. Actually going there would be more expensive.

Coming back… (priceless).

a reply to: AnteBellum

LOL, your thread reminded me of that, too.. That South Park episode was hilarious.

originally posted by: uwascallywabbit
a reply to: intrptr


OR

they think that theres something there worth looking at that isnt being shared by the info-hoarders at NASA - JPL

I think something has been found that's being kept a secret.

originally posted by: Merinda
India does not have to pay its personnel as handsomely as the US. Also while reaching Mars is quite a feat one would have to look how sophisticated the package is India sent and therefore expensive.

So NASA should contract India to do our future Mars Satellites. Then American companies can either cut cost or die.

NASA can't currently do a "study" of exploration for 75 mil.

1) Compare India's orbiter with the MRO.
www.isro.org...
sci.esa.int...
The primary mission of India's orbiter was to get there. That's it. Now that's it's done that, its rudimentary instruments can do a bit of science.

2) India's orbiter has a funky, highly eccentric orbit. This means it's hardly ever close to Mars. It also means it took much less fuel to achieve. Much less fuel means less weight. Less weight means cheaper.

3) Short mission. The mission will last less than a year.

4) Low wages. Why do you think Microsoft call centers are in India?


It's no small feat but make comparisons between it and US (and EU) missions doesn't really work.

originally posted by: Merinda
India does not have to pay its personnel as handsomely as the US. Also while reaching Mars is quite a feat one would have to look how sophisticated the package is India sent and therefore expensive.

That's part of the issue.

The biggest problem with all government projects is that the contractors see MASSIVE dollar signs whenever the term "government contract" appears. The costs are inflated because they know the government is working with an unlimited budget.

On the flip side, look into how cheaply SpaceX can operate. Privatization is the future of space travel because it's the only way the costs will be manageable.

originally posted by: Xeven

originally posted by: Merinda
India does not have to pay its personnel as handsomely as the US. Also while reaching Mars is quite a feat one would have to look how sophisticated the package is India sent and therefore expensive.

So NASA should contract India to do our future Mars Satellites. Then American companies can either cut cost or die.

NASA can't currently do a "study" of exploration for 75 mil.

SpaceX and companies like it are the future of space exploration. Let NASA work as a consulting agency, put them in charge of mission control, and have the private companies build the equipment and fund the missions.