The times they are a changing

[Skeptic Ginger]

India's lunar probe lands on the moon, sends images

Am I the only one who thinks this is incredible and wonders why so little attention is being paid to the #2 guys here in Moon landings? Ho hum, been there, did that?

 

[lionking]

Number 2? I thought Russia had a many unmanned probes to the moon (without looking it up)?

 

[CFLarsen]

Not only were the Russians the first to land a probe on the Moon, they had a much more successful Moon program (let alone a space program) than the US for several years.

They had the first probe landing on the moon (Luna 2), they had the first soft landing on the moon (Luna 9), and they had the first unmanned vehicle on the moon (Luna 10).

ESA has also managed to send a probe to the Moon (Smart 1).

Japan and China have also managed to send their own probes into orbit around the Moon (Hiten), and (Chang'e 1).

India is therefore the 4th to land a probe on the Moon.

 

[Thabiguy]

... and they had the first unmanned vehicle on the moon (Luna 10).

Just a small nitpick: The first unmanned vehicle on the moon was actually Lunokhod 1, carried by Luna 17.

Luna 10 was the first probe to orbit the moon.

 

[CFLarsen]

Luna, Lunokhod, Lunaschmuna....bloody Russians. Lack of imagination.

 

[Jeff Corey]

Another link from Phil. http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/moon_images.htm

 

[The Atheist]

Am I the only one who thinks this is incredible and wonders why so little attention is being paid to the #2 guys here in Moon landings? Ho hum, been there, did that?

If we give 'em too much publicity they'll fill the damn thing up with curry takeaways and corner shops. Won't be able to land a module without knocking over a curry urn.

And smells linger in a vacuum.

 

[Undesired Walrus]

Another link from Phil. http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/moon_images.htm

"There's absolutely nothing there!" said ecstatic scientists.

 

[Ivor the Engineer]

Another piece of junk on the moon.

Quite an achievement for a country which has so many of its citizens living in poverty and suffering from treatable diseases.

 

[JJM]

India's lunar probe lands on the moon, sends images

Am I the only one who thinks this is incredible and wonders why so little attention is being paid to the #2 guys here in Moon landings? Ho hum, been there, did that?

Well, they made the local paper (Greenfield, MA, Recorder). I haven't paid much attention to these things (since the heyday of Sputnik). As I understand it, we have been (mostly) ignoring the Moon because there is little to be learned from more exploration, even by robots (and especially by humans). The lack of enthusiasm may be warranted.

On top of that, India is a land with astonishing poverty. This morning, I heard (BBC) about a documentary movie on the slums of a city there. The filmmaker noted that some people have their hands cut off in order to be more effective beggars. I don't think those people will benefit from the bragging-rights they now have. That also tempers my enthusiasm.

ETA: Cross-posted with Ivor.

 

[I Ratant]

The beggar class in India is generations old, with children purposely mutilated early to appear 'worthy" of assistance as they age.

 

[The Atheist]

Another piece of junk on the moon.

Quite an achievement for a country which has so many of its citizens living in poverty and suffering from treatable diseases.

Well said.

It's one thing which disgusts me with cricket in India - on one side of the street you see women being escorted to cricket matches while decked with enough gold to end the credit crisis, and on the other, bundles of sticks begging.

The beggar class in India is generations old, with children purposely mutilated early to appear 'worthy" of assistance as they age.

Ah, well that makes it ok, then.

 

[BenBurch]

The sad thing is that we do have it in our ability to feed the planet, house the planet, and power the planet.

But we need to give up things few seem willing to;

1. Extreme Wealth
2. War
3. Borders
4. Reproductive Freedom

 

[plumjam]

If we give 'em too much publicity they'll fill the damn thing up with curry takeaways and corner shops. Won't be able to land a module without knocking over a curry urn.

And smells linger in a vacuum.

Apparently they're employing a Vindalunar Lander.

 

[Aepervius]

Well there is also extreme poverty in the US or western europe. Look under some carton in side streets, or in the rail station in winter. Should we all stop all sort of progress toward ANY technic as long as there is any poor man ? Where do you put your line in the sand telling those country "I consider that you have moire poor people than I accept, so do *ONLY* agricultural stuff until there is no poverty" ?

No. India has taken a good road out of poverty : the technical innovation one. If you concentrate on feeding people or making them less poor for a day, as sad and heartless as it is you are squandering money. The only real way out of pverty is through technical innovation, industrialisation, research and so on, as they bear fruit long term.

Go India ! *clap clap*.

 

[JJM]

Well there is also extreme poverty in the US {snip}

And that is among the reasons that I oppose "manned" space-flight from the US (aside from the fact that it produces nothing). The difference is- we have the resources to solve our social problems; it is the idiotic, Republican notions that have prevented us from doing so (and made them worse).

No. India has taken a good road out of poverty : the technical innovation one. {snip}

Repeating stunts that were performed more than 40 years ago is not "innovation." However, let us suppose that India does something useful, such as orbiting a telescope that complements, or exceeds, the capability of Hubble. In your economic model- how, specifically, does that help the beggars? Will they have an increased number of upscale locales in which to beg?

 

[portlandatheist]

However, let us suppose that India does something useful, such as orbiting a telescope that complements, or exceeds, the capability of Hubble. In your economic model- how, specifically, does that help the beggars? Will they have an increased number of upscale locales in which to beg?

It will inspire India's youth and give them something to be proud of. More students will study math and science and pursue higher education. Their wealth and their innovations will benefit not just themselves, but the entire economy meaning less beggars.

 

[The Atheist]

Apparently they're employing a Vindalunar Lander.

That's pretty good!

Do Indians see flying chapattis instead of flying saucers?

 

[luchog]

If we give 'em too much publicity they'll fill the damn thing up with curry takeaways and corner shops. Won't be able to land a module without knocking over a curry urn.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I certainly wouldn't object to knowing that, when hitchhiking around the galaxy, I can always count on getting a good vindaloo with garlic naan.

 

[luchog]

It will inspire India's youth and give them something to be proud of. More students will study math and science and pursue higher education. Their wealth and their innovations will benefit not just themselves, but the entire economy meaning less beggars.

If roughly a decade of high-tech outsourcing has not made a significant dent; why will this? The high-tech industry is only available to those who are already reasonably well-off, and therefore have access to sufficient education.

India effectively still has a caste system that prevents upward mobility for many social classes to a very great extent. How is this going to change that?