For all the jokes that have been going around for decades that when American astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, an Indian was already there, seriously, the hype about an Indian on the moon may be still be a ways off, according to the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization G Madhavan Nair.
Nair in Washington to nail down US participation in Chandrayaan-1, India's pioneering moon-bound lunar craft that could be lauched in a couple of months and is expected to carry two payloads from NASA, asked about India's planned mission to the moon, said, "So far, we have not addressed this issue. Right not we are in the consultation study phase."
During an interaction that followed an expansive and detailed briefing of India's space program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Nair -- who also wears the hats of chairman of India's Space Commission and secretary, Department of Space -- acknowledged, "Of course, we recognise that a capability to have a manned presence in the space is very important for the future exploration."
Hence, he said, "From that angle, we have completed a design phase and we are approaching the government for funding and if the funding comes, maybe in 7-8 years we will have our system" which would envisage an Indian crew to make it to space -- if not the moon -- and back.
Pressed on whether government funding would be forthcoming, Nair said, "We have been judicious in apportioning the funding which comes from the space department for the various programs, and so far our priority has been to build up technical competence for launching as well as to build the satellites and that we have achieved already," which he emphasised had been done in a cost-effective manner.
"But as far as human space program," he explained, "we have already sensitised the government and they have asked us to submit the detailed project report, and this report will be submitted soon."
Nair said that once this report is analysed and reviewed by the government, hopefully the funding should be available and predicted, "I don't expect a major hurdle, but we do have to go through a process of approvals."
Meanwhile, with regard to any plans by ISRO to launch a mission to Mars, he said that the United States is already way ahead of any other country in the exploration of Mars with Rovers roaming around and several pictures and other information being transmitted following its missions, and that India would undertake such a mission only if it believes "what new things we can find."
"It is not simply for the sake of sending a mission to Mars," although he acknowledged, "Yes, we have it on our agenda before 2012 that we should have a Mars mission, and we are seeing what instruments we should carry and what types of things we'll be looking for in Mars are still being discussed."
Nair said India was working "very closely," with NASA and pointed out that NASA official Mike Griffin had visited India and had a perfect rapport with him "and now I am here and we are exchanging notes."
Greater Indo-US space cooperation needed: ISRO chief