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India launches 20 satellites in single mission

bbc.com

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Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#61

Post by rrrazdan »

As an Indian and personal supporter of the Indian space program, I don't see this as a feat in the international sense.

What was the technological leap? ISRO could have done this few years back as well. Its just that the payload combination clicked this time.

By bragging about things like these we merely betray our jingoism. And what's more when a real technological feat happens it would be drowned out because we gloated over things like this.

Also I hope many of the posters here are seriously thinking about giving to ISRO or working for them. ISRO could seriously use more tech talent.

Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#62

Post by whack »

Zelmor wrote: post #48

That is an aged political view of the world. Nowadays, a third world country is where you can die of disease, infection, etc. by drinking water due to lack of sanitation. Where infrastructure is missing almost completely, and where the majority of people live below international poverty lines (no, US families with 3 bedroom houses and loans to pay are not below the international poverty line. People sleeping in their…

Even ignoring all the factually false statements, that was an unnecessarily condescending rant.

Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#64

Post by themartorana »

whack wrote: post #62
Zelmor wrote: post #48

That is an aged political view of the world. Nowadays, a third world country is where you can die of disease, infection, etc. by drinking water due to lack of sanitation. Where infrastructure is missing almost completely, and where the majority of people live below international poverty lines (no, US families with 3 bedroom houses and loans to pay are not below the international poverty line. People sleeping in their…

Even ignoring all the factually false statements, that was an unnecessarily condescending rant.

Here we go again.

The statements are not false, burying your head in the sand is not going to make uncomfortable things untrue. Minus the menstrual-pad thing, I've seen the rest with my own eyes in India.

Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#65

Post by sidcool »

tim333 wrote: post #58
sidcool wrote: post #24

There will be naysayers when a second or third world country achieves a milestone. Inspite of similar feats done before by developed nations, this is huge for developing economies. Similar thing happened when the earlier Prime Minister of India announced that India will launch a Mars mission within a year at a fraction of cost at what NASA or ESA would do it. Most people laughed at it, and said it's impossible and wh…

>Most people laughed at it... Since then I take 'Expert' HN comments with a pinch of salt. I had a look at the top voted story on the Mars mission "Why India's Mars mission is so cheap - and thrilling", 392 points https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8361558 and I'm not sure anyone was laughing at it. About the closest anyone got was saying the payload was not very heavy.

This is not the thread, but even in this thread:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8364841

Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#67

Post by Amezarak »

jkot wrote: post #22
hueving wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>And US has 44M people on food stamps ;-( That's how social programs work. It wouldn't be working if they weren't giving them out to the lower distribution of the US income. I'm not sure what point you were trying to make, that food stamps imply the country is poor? Would highlighting that the UK has 100% of its people on NHS also imply that their citizens are poor?

European countries used food stamps during WW2. It implies that country does not have enough food, if it has to ration its food supplies. I know it is social assistance, but it has really bad name. NHS is paid health insurance, sometimes pretty expensive, not much relevant.

US 'food stamps' (for which the actual name is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) are actually just a government-issued debit card that can only be spent on food at most private retailers. There's absolutely no connotation of rationing in the US nor is there any stamp involved.

Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#68

Post by geodel »

sidcool wrote: post #24

There will be naysayers when a second or third world country achieves a milestone. Inspite of similar feats done before by developed nations, this is huge for developing economies. Similar thing happened when the earlier Prime Minister of India announced that India will launch a Mars mission within a year at a fraction of cost at what NASA or ESA would do it. Most people laughed at it, and said it's impossible and wh…

And you are here to preempt naysayers legitimate concerns?

It has nothing to do with third world achievements. It is more about Nehruvian style elites claiming glory in scientific achievements while day-to-day problems that vast underclass is facing goes unanswered because it is tough.

So Indian achievements are in categories where they punish or reward a small group because that is easier than tackling major issues e.g. banning smoking in public places because it is easy but not banning polluting vehicles as it has political repercussions.

Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#69

Post by rck404 »

nickserv wrote: post #52
return0 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Electric cars have been done before, but that doesn't stop people from praising Tesla as jesus on earth

Tesla legitimately broke new ground, before they came out with their roadster there was very little interest in electric cars. And the S really showed the world that an EV can be actually desirable in and of itself. But yes, I would agree that they are overrated here on HN. They are by no means the first to try mass-market EV (see: Leaf, ZOE, i3) but somehow seem to get all the credit.

India is also doing the same. Space experiments like these were pre-dominantly done from places like USA, Europe, Russia and China. India is not only doing this by themselves. They are also helping their neighbours for mutual benefits. For example, they're building their own space-based navigation system to aid in their defence and other uses.

This helps India and also helps neighbouring countries instead of relying on archiac GPS system which US doesn't share with defense systems to countries other than Pakistan

Re: India launches 20 satellites in single mission

#70

Post by melling »

sangnoir wrote: post #41
simonh wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Most people laughed at it, and said it's impossible and what not. But guess what, India did send a successful Mars mission that's orbiting the red planet right now. Since then I take 'Expert' HN comments with a pinch of salt. I've been on HN for many years and my recollection is that the community here has been very supportive and encouraging of India's efforts in space technology.

> I've been on HN for many years and my recollection is that the community here has been very supportive and encouraging of India's efforts in space technology. Unless your memory is selective - you may recall that the support was far from unanimous. I recall a number of HNers stating that the ISRO budget would be better spent on other 'more pressing' challenges India is facing (poverty, sanitation). In fairness, the…

There are always some naysayers. There were some for the US program too:

https://launiusr.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/why-explore-space-...

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