India's Chandrayaan Blasts Off To The Moon!

Originally posted by guyfrom2007
There is only one significant aspect of the Moon mission for India and that is it has acquired ICBM capability for its nuclear weapons. When India can send a payload as far as the moon, it most certainly can send a nuke across the world.

That is not correct. ICBM capability is something very different from putting a payload into NEO. An ICBM is much more precise device compared to a satellite launcher. And as for sending a payload to the moon. If you read through the thread, they really have only taken the payload to orbit. A delivery vehicle for a ICBM has a much more complex role which includes, navigation, re-entry, target acquisition, etc. And with a MIRV warhead, more so. Just because you have a rocket that you can strap on a bomb to doesnt make it a credible missile.

Originally posted by guyfrom2007
Everyone knows it is cheaper to make things in China and program them to work properly in India. So why not the Americans simply design, the the Chinese and Japanese Manufacture, the Indian program it, the Europeans test it and the Russians launch them?

Again a misconception. The Chinese only make things cheaper because they use very unskilled labor and produce in massive quantities. Its not possible to design a space program like that because everything is custom made by very highly skilled workers. True, Chinese and Indian scientists are paid much less and labor costs are less but not really by much. The Russians launch for less mainly because they use more primitive propellants and crude launch vehicles than US launch vehicles. Not to mention that they pay a lot less to their scientists as well.

Originally posted by guyfrom2007
The reason is simple. Everybody including contractors, companies and individuals know there is a lot of money to be made from these projects.

That is the main goal not that piece of moon rock.

Well, the main reason the US, Russia etc didnt share their expertise is because from their space program they came to learn a LOT of technical expertise about building better weapons. Giving away that kind of technology would be very unwise if some country decided to use that to build weapons. Also, unlike the West, countries like China and India dont have private contractors do most of the work for them. They are mostly done by those governments themselves and little if any of the work is given to private contractors. The Chinese in particular are paranoid about security.

I did not mean to say that chinese or indian workers have the high quality tech know how. But just as the chinese can build the iPods and iPhonese, they can be trained to build space subsystems that can be assembled and tested by more advanced nations like ESA.

With regards to launchers, we all know how high tech the space shuttle was and how it got killed. Today most US launches are being handled by Russian rockets and without which the Space Station would have to be abandoned.

So my point was sending stuff to the moon or landing people there, why not co-operate? And in the process save money which could be otherwise used in more terrestrial use such as disaster relief, poverty elevation programs, education, etc.

However, what we are seeing is that each country is building its own space missions for essentially doing the same task.

As far as the ICBM capabilities are concerned, a country which has already developed an IRBM and with the precision guided munitions and guidance technology, all it requires is a launcher that can take it further. That is what the PSLV and GSLV is about.

If you look at the history of missile development and space projects by USA, Russia and before that Germany, you will understand what I mean.

Space Missile History


[edit on 3-11-2008 by guyfrom2007]

Originally posted by mikesingh
The specs mention that the TMC will image in the panchromatic spectral region of 0.5 to 0.85 µm. That means it covers all spectral bands.

Spectral bands

Blue - 0.44–0.52 μm.
Green - 0.5–0.59 μm.
Red - 0.63–0.7 μm.
Near infrared - 0.76–0.85 μm.

Maybe this was a test image. They’ll probably turn on the juice a little later!

The Chandrayaan's catalogue mentions -- "Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC): The aim of this instrument is to completely map the topography of the moon. The camera works in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum and captures black and white stereo images."

Huh!!

In 3D comics, two slightly offset images in red and blue are printed, and when looked through red-blue anaglyph glasses, the image comes out as stereo (3D) black and white. It comes out as 3D since the "stereo" separation because of the offset images is correct for each eye, and comes out B&W because the red and blue filters in the glasses are opposite colours - what you can see through a red filter, you cannot through a blue, and vice versa.

If this is the case, and B&W is the final output, then is it that TMC will actually be taking two "offset" pictures in blue and red color bands to generate the 3D mapping?


[edit on 3/11/2008 by sentinel2107]

reply to post by sentinel2107


They will probably take monochromatic photos, like ESA does with Mars Express' stereo camera.

That is the camera they use to create the 3D models that we can see on ESA's site.

reply to post by zorgon


Your always helpful zorgon and you know I'm not.
Before I leave with another distasteful post the JAXA Moon
has those parallel bolder tracks.
The American postage stamp picture had no footprints in it so
that was a relief.
Perhaps there are some brown and green areas on the Moon
but the life would have to be living on ether 8 x 10 to 11th power less
dense as air.
The best way, and perhaps the so far unknown way, of hauling
objects to the Moon is by the Tesla Free Energy Propulsion System.
Told you I was like that.
So I'm glad we all see there is a future in space exploration.
Just can't wait for these galactic cruisers to be built.
Perhaps done with free energy.. see demo @7:44
Built with Free Energy in mind.
Character treatment said to be after none other than William Lyne.
And he does go to parts close by as well.

Originally posted by mikesingh

You've forgotten to add this image of the Moon taken by Apollo 11...

Well yeah I did but thats because I am sure Apollo Moon images were done here at Langly and the color was just spot lights




But I did forget the one Galileo took... December 7, 1992

reply to post by zorgon


Zorgon, you should know that images can not be wider than 600 pixels, the forum code crops images wider than that and it spoils the effect.



Click on the image to see it full size.

[edit on 3/11/2008 by ArMaP]

Originally posted by ArMaP
Zorgon, you should know that images can not be wider than 600 pixels, the forum code crops images wider than that and it spoils the effect.

Me know nada.... just click on da big pic and see da hole ting...

And while we's waitin fer dem Indians ta git to da moon...

Here is proof of the atmosphere on the Moon



Enjoy... sometimes one needs a diversion

reply to post by zorgon


The music creates a good atmosphere, but I guess that is not enough.

PS: Rammstein is one of my favourite bands.

Originally posted by ArMaP
PS: Rammstein is one of my favourite bands.

Really? Now THAT is interesting....

But didn't you notice that they used the same Apollo stusio set that NASA did?

Chandrayaan enters Final(?) Earth Orbit

Although not yet on ISRO's website, Chandrayaan has been nudged to its final(?) Earth orbit:
Times of India -- Chandrayaan enters lunar space for final journey

But it is not yet in "lunar space" - that's a faux pas.

Now to wait with bated breath for the lunar capture

[edit on 3/11/2008 by sentinel2107]

ISRO has released the information on its site.
Chandrayaan-1 enters Lunar Transfer Trajectory
I hear the moon shouting - INCOMMINGGGG.....

Hmmm...Things have now started getting interesting!

So, Chandrayaan-1 has finally entered the Lunar Transfer Trajectory with an apogee of about 380,000 km. Moon-kissing distance! It will approach the Moon on November 8, 2008 and the spacecraft’s liquid engine will be fired again to insert the spacecraft into lunar orbit.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

And Sentinel, you put up a very valid point regarding the images. B/W or color? Now we'll need an explanation from ISRO. I'm on the job. Let's see what turns up!

Cheers!

Originally posted by guyfrom2007
So my point was sending stuff to the moon or landing people there, why not co-operate? And in the process save money which could be otherwise used in more terrestrial use such as disaster relief, poverty elevation programs, education, etc.

However, what we are seeing is that each country is building its own space missions for essentially doing the same task.

Not quite right. Check out the ISS.

The space station is a joint project among the space agencies of the United States (NASA), Russia (RKA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA) and eleven European countries (ESA). The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB, Brazil) participates through a separate contract with NASA. The Italian Space Agency similarly has separate contracts for various activities not done in the framework of ESA's ISS works (where Italy also fully participates). China has reportedly expressed interest in the project, especially if it is able to work with the RKA, though it is not currently involved. To mark the level of cooperation that the project is fostering between nations, in 2001, the station received the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation.

And for the mission to Mars...

The current NASA and ESA studies promote international cooperation, and are being coordinated within the International Mars Exploration Working Group (of space agencies interested in Mars missions).

This type of cooperation will be a valuable precursor to a human Mars mission -- for it will certainly need international team building, even more than has been done on the International Space Station. The MEPAG also concluded, "All MSR options will require significant international participation". International cooperation plus resources from the human space flight program could make the MSR budget much more feasible.

So now does that answer your question? Without international cooperation, it will be impossible to reach for the stars due to budgetary constraints and the need to share technology. The Moon is just at the doorstep and this mission cost india just $80 million! That's less than the cost of a front line fighter aircraft! (The B-2 costs America more than $1 billion a piece!!) So this is peanuts and did not require international cooperation to offset the costs.

Cheers!



en.wikipedia.org...
www.planetary.org...

India already has the capability to build ICBM's - they simply don't face any strategic threats that require them, their major strategic threats - Pakistan and China - are right next door

The Indians have an ambitious space program, and should be congratulated on their achievement.

It's good for everyone - the Indians are choosing to demonstrate their prowess and rising power, not with military conquests, but with scientific and technological accomplishments

reply to post by mikesingh


WHAT A SHAME.

When 600 million people go hungry and barefoot, this is such a waste of money even if it is a small amount by international standards.

reply to post by sentinel2107


According to that article we should be seeing snapshots of the moon (and Earth) that are being taken in this 380k km orbit.
Those should be interesting..

Yeah I put that 15M picture link in a downloader.
Which went to a 1.2M jpg conversion.
All pics coming in loud and clear.

I know you guys are shy on analysis but there is another
ATS topic on was the Moon a comet and one can get into
ancient text interpretation like Immanuel Velokovski but
how about telling me why such a cluster of impact craters
at the Moon's polar region.

The pics you were so nice to post have this obvious feature.

This polar concentration of craters may have clues to the Moon
origin. How about going pole first through the asteroids.
Now asteroids have their own origin mystery and perhaps
Velokovski had no answer for them.

Story of the orbital maneuvers: The Orbital Challenges -- Frontline


Image source: www.hinduonnet.com...

reply to post by ArMaP


This was before they cut and polished the craft. You can see the rust everywhere. Obviously they couldn't find a Car Lovers Carwash large enough to get that bad boy in to wax and polish...

meanwhile..

NOW WHERE ARE THE PICTURES OF AUSTRALIA I HEAR IN TODAYS PAPER THEY HAVE TAKEN FROM their rocket??



wZn