Out Sourcing Space

On the 9^th September, India launched its 100^th space mission, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLVC-21 from launch pad Sriharikota, in southern India.

The Indian Space Research Organization reported that the launch was a complete success.

The Indian space program has been in effect from the 1960’s and it has had many successful missions, including in 2008 a probe to the Moon that was the first to detect evidence of water on the lunar surface.

Next year the organization is looking forward to sending a spacecraft to Mars.

On this hundredth mission, the rocket is carrying an observation satellite for the French and a micro satellite for the Japanese.

For many years now, the Indian space program has used its rockets to put other countries satellites in to space.

Of particular note here is perhaps the fact that both France and Japan have their own space programs, yet choose to “out source” the launch of these satellites to another country.

It seems strange that in the west, little seems to be publicized about the achievements of other space agencies, yet when a NASA or European mission is launched the media are full of it.

OK I admit that when Russia or China make launches they are mentioned but usually in a manner to imply that they are “spying”, nothing positive.

This 100^th mission is obviously a great achievement for them and the world should be congratulating them, especially as it would seem that they playing their role in advancing all countries, not just themselves.

I know what many of you will say:

“Why are they spending money on this, when they have so many poor in their country?”

“Why don’t they feed their hungry first?”

“They have nuclear weapons, so can they be trusted with space technology too?”

Well all of these may have some truth to them but equally each of these questions could be asked of the United States, Europe, Russia and China. The only difference is that India, by launching other countries satellites, has seemingly found a way to finance their own endeavors, something that the others probably cannot claim.

As to the question of trust with space technology and nuclear weapons, come on: they’ve had the technology since the 1960’s, so they have already displayed more than 50 years of rationality.

It is time that the western media grew up and congratulated and celebrated other countries achievements instead of either trying to hide them or discredit them.

There is always a tendency in the west, to pat itself on the back whilst claiming that they are the only ones that can do things right. The time is over due that they openly admitted others achievements and perhaps looked inwards to check just how good their own endeavors are, compared to others.