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Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

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Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#2
How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India

"Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India

"Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#3

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

better response than I can write. This is why: http://balajiviswanathan.quora.com/Indian-Space-Mission-Pove...

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#4

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

I'm not sure I agree with Amos' argument, but the fact is that he does address this in the article.

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#5

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

You might as well ask the same question about anything the U.S. does, given that the U.S. undisputedly has "more important" and unresolved domestic problems.

In the words of Carl Sagan: "Just now, there a great many matters that are pressing in on us that compete for the money it takes to send people to other worlds. Should we solve those problems first, or are they a reason for going? "

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#6

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

better response than I can write. This is why: http://balajiviswanathan.quora.com/Indian-Space-Mission-Pove...

Thank you! After reading this same statement about toilets vs space missions dozens of times I could hardly muster anything more articulate than "aaargh!" Apparently the West had solved all of humanity's problems and ensured a reign of perfect equality and peace before embarking on trivial things like research!

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#7

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

If you could provide reliable electricity and water for 300 million people for $74m ($0.25 per head) then you might have a point, but it's not really a lot of money for a country as large as India.

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#8

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

[deleted]

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#9

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

Ummmm you like posting links without thinking? Here are a couple of them for you. You see the fallacy in your argument?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States#Re...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_in_the_United_Stat...

Re: Why India's Mars mission is so cheap – and thrilling

#10

How about reliable electricity and water for your people, then Mars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Resources_in_India "Water supply and sanitation in India continue to be inadequate ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_sector_in_India "Over 300 million (300 million) people in India have no access to electricity. Of those who do, almost all find electricity supply intermittent and unreliable."

If you could provide reliable electricity and water for 300 million people for $74m ($0.25 per head) then you might have a point, but it's not really a lot of money for a country as large as India.

How many people could you provide reliable utilities to for $74m?
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