HMEDABAD : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be in a position to provide the government with the logistics required to launch a mission to the moon in about six months. If given the go-ahead, the organization could launch its first rocket to the lunar landscape in five years. Political will and financial prudence are another matter.

"I have no doubt that we have the technological capability to launch a mission to the moon." Declared head of the national committee for India's mission to the moon George Joseph in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

"In fact we have passed the definition stage. We know that our Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) and Geo-stationary Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLV) are more than capable of covering the distance between the moon and the earth," said Mr. Joseph.

The committee is now looking at what technological developments have taken place so far which could be used in the mission. Apart from looking at the best way to reach the moon from the plethora of options available, ISRO is also working out what research to conduct on earth's nearest neighbor as it does not want to merely prove that they can do it.

"Our current project, at least, has no intention of sending man to the moon," remarked Mr. Joseph, quashing the possibility of an Indian taking the giant leap. "We are looking at the possibility of putting a polar orbiter in place about 100 km from the surface of the moon."

Once in place, the orbiter will map the entire surface of the moon using very high resolution stereoscopic equipment. Mr. Joseph said such mapping has been done earlier as well but only to identify specific landing sites, never before to get an insider's view on the entire topography of the moon.

"Such studies become essential when one talks of colonizing the moon and using it as a base for explorations deeper into space," explained Mr. Joseph. "There is an abundance of Helium 3 on the moon which can be used for power generation by our nuclear reactors, even if you consider that man has yet not perfected nuclear fusion necessary for the process."

Helium 3's importance can be gauged from the fact that 40 tones of the compound can generate 42,000 MW of electricity, which is what the U.S. generated in the year 1999. A significant amount of hydrogen, water, nitrogen and carbon compounds would be some of the by-products of helium mining on the moon and would be responsible for drastically reducing the cost of sustaining life in space.

Mr. Joseph takes a different approach to tackle those who criticize India's lunar ambitions despite being a third-world country. "Fifty year back, talk of man walking on the moon would have invited ridicule. Fifty years from now, however, man will have a base on the moon and I believe India should not be left out of the race."

The Indian Express : SPACE

30 May 2001