Should India be sending a spacecraft to Mars?

[Waspie_Dwarf]

India has a flourishing space industry. Since they launched their first satellite in 1980 it has launched weather satellites and earth observation satellites which have helped to improve the nation's agriculture. It has launched communications satellites which have allowed telephones and televisions to come to even the most remote village.

Controversially India has now started Lunar and Martian exploration.

Many consider that India is wasting money that could be spent on helping the poor. The counter argument is that if India is to help the poor it must modernise it's economy and it's space programme will help do that.

my personal view is that India is being unfairly singled out. There is not a nation on Earth that doesn't have poor. I believe that India has the right to a technological future and that high-tech projects will ultimately benefit the nation. India is following the path that China took on it's way to becoming one of the largest economies on the planet.

I am starting this poll to see what others think.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Waspie_Dwarf
typo.

[freetoroam]

Well I think you know my stance on this one.

Enough said.

Edited November 5, 2013 by freetoroam

[Taun]

Looking back on the "trickle down" effects of the US Space Program (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo), it very well could improve things for the people of India - however - most of the technology they would

imploy will probably already exist - so it might not boost their technology as much as they might hope... If the bulk of the components of the rocket, guidance, etc are manufactured in India then it very well

could provide many new - high tech - jobs... but if they are going to import the electronics, and other equipment, then -again- they might not get the boost they should...

I do wish they would improve the nations general health and sanitation levels (or at least what I preceive to be their levels), but yes I do think they have the "right" to do as they see fit - not as some

guy on a computer in Oklahoma thinks they should (talkin' about me there )

(On a slightly silly note) Of course they have over 1 billion people - pretty much living ontop of each other... Maybe they want to go to Mars so they can put the excess people somewhere...

Edited November 5, 2013 by Taun

[supervike]

Of course, they should be able to have their own Space Program. Advancements there could help all of mankind.

[The Id3al Experience]

First: Its none of our business!

Two: India hasnt looked after the poor in the past, why would they in the future? The Rich will ALWAYS be too weathy, and the poor will always be too poor. There is no middle ground there.

Three: As waspie as mentioned, It has already helped the country by way of agriculture and telecommunications. More will develop there due to the economical increase the programme can attract.