After Chandrayaan-1, where do you foresee Indo-US space cooperation going? Do you see some major commercialisation? Are there any plans to rapidly increase this revenue base and get some American firms and industry involved in promoting such mutual commercialisation?
I am a strong proponent, and I know that Dr Nair is as well, of increased commercial activity in space. And to achieve that, it means the government has to lead the way. We have to welcome commercial activity. Whether there is an opportunity for commercial activity between India and the United States, I don't know -- but I hope so. The world does better when markets are open. But, again, you are outside my area of expertise, and so I really don't know.
But you do see tremendous potential if extraneous issues are resolved?
I do. If other issues can be resolved, I see the potential for commercial space activities between India and the US.
Do you think India should put a man on the moon? Also, is it a good thing for India to have a Mars mission?
I would like to see India, in future years, join us to return people to the moon, among them Indian astronauts -- that's what I would like to see. As we are returning to the moon, we will be, I hope, going there in company with the international partners that helped build the space station. I would like to add India to that group, I would like to add India to that partnership.
And in terms of a Mars mission...
That will come later. That's another generation. But in time, yes.
It is something that hopefully can evolve after perhaps a joint moon mission…
Exactly! The moon is a target for the 2010s, and Mars is a target for the 2030s -- so, about a generation apart.
Is NASA considering including India in its planet exploration plans?
Not yet. I mean, we have just begun this framework of cooperation, so I hope that that will evolve.
You said you were impressed with the technical schools in India, during your visit. Did you also find an increasing technological prowess in terms of capabilities, that you saw in this emerging India?
I have only had two visits to India, three or four days each, and so that doesn't afford a lot of opportunity to measure trends. What I did say was that I had a chance to see the Engine Development Centre, the Launch Centre, the Satellite Development Centre, and I was very impressed with the quality of the engineering facilities and the engineering work that I saw. I meant that. Now I can't tell -- because I don't have a long history of observation -- whether the trend is up or level or down. I presume that it's up, but I don't have any background to know that. What I saw, I was very impressed with.
Also read: A Space Odyssey comes to an end
Advertisement
