The President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, invited his country's scientists to conduct their experiments on India's first mission to the moon
The President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, invited his country's scientists to conduct their experiments on India's first mission to the Moon. The mission, known as the Chandrayaan Mission, will be an unmanned probe, and is scheduled for launch in 2007 or in 2008.
Commentators say that we are in the middle of a space race, which is happening in Asia, as several countries in the region are eager to take advantage of new satellite and missile technologies. The President was speaking at the Indian Science Congress in Chandigarh.
China drew a lot of global attention to it when it put a man into orbit around the Earth in October last year. The Indian nation also hopes to impress the world by launching a half-ton spacecraft on an Indian rocket towards the moon.
The mission has a political purpose, and it is the demonstration of the technological achievements of a developing country. However, no agreement was reached on all the scientific goals of the mission. Dr. Kelm, a former scientist who is famous in his own right, said that the ball is in the hands of the Indian researchers: they must come up with ideas for research. "Researching the moon with the help of the Chandrayaan will electrify the whole country, especially young scientists and children," he said.
"Since you are all scientists, I would like to convey the message... we will support any scientist, who wants to conduct research on the moon or explore the lunar environment," he said at the Congress in Chandigarh. The Chandrayaan mission will contribute more to Indian pride and Indian technology than to human progress.
However, Dr. Kalam's speech encouraged scientists to work for the developing countries, and especially to help India achieve its stated goal of becoming a developed country by 2020.
The agricultural yield must double within ten years, he said; Also, a vaccine for AIDS must be developed and its operation tested. In addition, Dr. Clem spoke about the need to ensure water supply at the junctions of rivers and the need to build water desalination facilities.
Dr. Kelm also spoke about the development of a nuclear reactor, which will help in the utilization of the huge reserves of thorium, which are in India.
In Western countries, political figures of Dr. Kelm's stature almost never showed presence at such scientific gatherings; not even the national leaders such as Margaret Thatcher who had a scientific background.
It is possible that Dr. Kelm's arrival indicates the greater need and higher awareness of the developing countries for science and development, which he is able to bring.
