Monday, November 04, 2013

The Journey is the Reward

As the launch date for India's Mangalyaan mission to Mars approaches, the same old hackles are being raised from the usual quarters against India's expenditure on it, which is less than half the cost of a Boeing Dreamliner. It's important for rebuttals to be heard as well:

http://www.pierrefitter.com/2013/11/the-mars-orbiter-mission-journey-is.html

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/2013/11/04/india-vies-for-elite-role-space-with-mars-trip/ciOYYhQW6zanJbBkQri8qN/singlepage.html

I like to remember an old saying:
If you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. If you teach a man to send a spaceship to Mars, he'll figure out how to feed everyone.

Being able to use your full mental potential is important.

Incidentally, here's an interesting profile of ISRO Chief K Radhakrishnan including his passion for Kathakali musical dance theatre, with various nice pics:

http://tarmak007.blogspot.in/2013/11/avatars-of-space-scientist-of-kathakali.html

And of course, other Indian space traditions continue:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news-feed/science/ahead-of-mars-mission-temple-run-goes-hand-in-hand-with-rocket-science/article1-1147077.aspx

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