The Prime Minister announced that India "is ready to take a big step in science"; Those who oppose the idea: the task is not necessary for the poor nation
India will send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon by 2008 - Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced this weekend. "India is ready to take a big step in science," said Vajpayee in his speech to the nation on the occasion of Independence Day. "I am happy to announce that before 2008 India will send a mission to the moon". The mission was named "The First Voyage to the Moon", and will cost the country about 80 million dollars.
CNN reported that the idea of sending a spacecraft to the moon was first raised by the Indian Space Agency three years ago and the agency began testing its implementation in 2001.
India wants to register success in space exploration as a matter of pride for the poor country, where millions of residents are homeless and uneducated. However, opponents of the proposal said the mission was not necessary for the impoverished nation because it would not yield new scientific achievements.
Only the US, Russia and Japan have sent spacecraft to the moon so far. China plans to send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon in the next three years.
