India sent its MOM to Mars and is proud of it

PM Narendra Modi with Isro chief Radhakrishnan

The sky really seemed the limit on Wednesday morning as the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft entered Mars’ orbit and into Indian space history. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while congratulating the scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), rightly noted that we have achieved “the near impossible”. Given the technological limitations and financial constraints, the Mangalyaan, or the Mars mission, is unique in many ways. On a shoe-string budget of Rs. 450 crore, it is an indigenous programme completed for launch in less than two years. This is much quicker and less expensive than any other Mars mission.
Only a handful of countries have been able to cross this frontier of interplanetary exploration, and India’s entry into this elite club comprising the United States, Russia and Europe is amazing. The space exploration arena is getting crowded and it is important to be ahead of your competition. India, by becoming the first Asian country to launch a successful Mars mission, has taken the wind out of the sails of nations like China, Japan and South Korea which have ambitious space programmes planned.
Isro’s Mars mission is predominantly a technology demonstrator. The success of MOM shows that India has the potential for deep space remote controlling and communication and navigation. The MOM — which will orbit Mars for six months — is also carrying scientific equipment and will study the planet’s surface and atmosphere, especially the presence of methane gas.

Scientist working on MOM

Mangalyaan’s success is also expected to increase India’s launch capabilities. Isro has successfully combined state-of-the-art technology and frugal engineering thereby setting the benchmark  for future interplanetary missions by any country/agency. While the mission is a major achievement, there are areas where Isro has to focus. At present, it is only capable of launching payloads below two tonnes. The government must encourage science education by investing more in research and development in schools and universities.
As former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, under whom Mangalyaan was approved, said during the 101st Indian Science Congress: “Science education in our country requires much more attention…. We must increase our annual expenditure on science and technology to at least 2% of our GDP.” However, for the moment, let’s bask in our moment in the sun, or shall we say stars?

ISC 2014: Lack of resolve cripples India's science vision

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh                               (AFP photo)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s inaugural speech at the Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Jammu reflected India’s research and development (R&D) storyline: big on hope and promises with little to show as results. This numbing monotony was evident in Mr Singh’s speech: as in the past few addresses Mr Singh stressed on the need for affordable innovations in healthcare, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and more investment from the corporate sector in R&D. This poor show should be attributed to the government’s commitment or lack of it towards basic sciences and R&D in science and technology. In 2003, the government had set a target of increasing its investment in R&D from under 1% to at least 2% by 2007. Seven years later, Mr Singh repeated the same target. Compare this with China, which spends 1.7% of its GDP on R&D, and it is evident why India lags behind.
Mr Singh highlighted the successful launch of the Mars mission and the GSLV, with an indigenous cryogenic engine, and the achievements in the field of atomic energy and high-energy physics, with the effort to develop a Fast Breeder Reactor, a prototype of it under construction in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. He announced a National Mission on High Performance Computing, at the cost of Rs 4,500 crore and a Rs 1,450-crore neutrino-based observatory in Tamil Nadu. While this is a step forward one expected the PM to give concrete plans to promote basic sciences at the school and college level. This, especially after he stressed on the need to improve the ‘quality’ of education. If a majority of Indians think of science only when ISRO launches a satellite, it is because the government has failed to attract young minds to study basic sciences and pursue a career in it. Mr Singh rightly said “we need to ensure that the best among our young people take up science as a career”. Sadly, he made a similar observation in his first speech to the ISC as PM in 2005 when he said “…our best minds are not turning to science, and those who do, do not remain in science”. Almost a decade later the concerns remain.
Mr Singh was spot on when he observed that “science has not yet got its proper due in our value system”. For this it is essential that a conducive environment, with world-class facilities and attractive incentives, is provided. Steps should also be taken to improve and attract science streams of education and research. Unless such steps are taken, India’s ‘superpower’ dreams coupled with a robust economic base will not be fulfilled.