India Advances Lunar Mission Launch to 2007

Encouraged by the rapid pace of progress to date on its planned $100 million lunar orbiter mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has moved the launch date for the robotic probe up by one year.

Originally scheduled to launch in 2008, the Chandrayaan-1 mission now could lift off in 2007 or even earlier, according to ISRO Chairman Gopalan Madhavan Nair. Searching for potential deposits of Helium-3 -- envisioned as a fuel for future fusion reactors -- is one of the key objectives of the mission, Nair added during a speech Feb. 17 here at the 13th National Space Science Symposium.

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[Edited on 2-3-2004 by Kano]

Its wonderful that there are still able to do so after the big fire they had. Good find.

If India or China finds artificial anomalies on the moon would they share the information & photos with the general public?

I think they should because it would undermine US hegemony of the world and might spur more progressive social and cultural development world-wide. Our world is facing very serious problems and the sooner we all face up to it the better, in my opinion.

There is the possibility that these countries will keep the information secret and use it to their own advantage to get a leg up on the less technically & scientifically developed countries.

Will a nation's own national security & economic interest always outweigh all other considerations, or will these countries that have had a long history of exploitation by the European superpowers decide to strike a fatal blow to the oligarchical system by proving that the Earthlings are only adolescent punks in the big scheme of things?

[Edited on 1-3-2004 by Condorcet]

Perhaps this is one reason why we (US) are conducting a joint military exercise with India. I stumbled on this a couple days ago while cruising, I will try to find a link for the story.
Everyboby wants the moon now-

Originally posted by Condorcet
If India or China finds artificial anomalies on the moon would they share the information & photos with the general public?

I wouldn't expect anything different than today, they would just be indoctrinated in the elite club of those in the know.

Looks like Space Race II is on!

This is going to force the US to do something drastic, like say, go to the moon and then from there go to mars

quick question though - has anyone besides the US put a man on the moon?

One pack of conspiracy chips says "The Apollo Moon Landings Were A Hoax." The other says "There Are Secret Moon Bases." Now, while there are some interesting irregularities that I've noticed in the Apollo pics, I do not believe the landings were faked. I'd rather open the other packet - with reactionless drives as evidenced by various "black" aircraft, it's a simple matter to head out to the Earth's moon, even Mars.

It's a big ol' can of worms, though.