NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON: After the successful launch of India's maiden unmanned mission to Moon, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chief G Madhavan Nair found the "entire world looking at us." The global interest in the mission was led by US and Europe who hailed the achievement saying New Delhi has demonstrated its technological prowess and was emerging as an "ever stronger space power."
Shortly after the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft began its historic space odyssey; the scientists of the ISRO were congratulated and applauded for their achievement that catapulted India into an exclusive club of six moon-faring nations. Instruments from the US and Europe are on-board the unmanned spacecraft. Eyebrows were raised in disbelief in some US quarters with the Wall Street Journal wondering in an editorial, "How'd they learn to do that." Democratic presidential cnadidate Barack Obama considered it a challenge to the supremacy of America in space and underlined the need for the United States to revitalize its space program "to remain the undisputed leader."
The White House took note of the launch of Chandrayaan 1, saying it was "very interesting" as well as "encouraging" and "exciting". American Ambassador to India David C Mulford said, "The US congratulates India on the successful launch. This is a proud moment in India history and demonstrates India's technological prowess by joining the international community in the peaceful exploration of space," said. Mulford said the US was proud to participate in the mission as the country had provided two instruments for it.
"Ahead of the launch, scientists from the United States worked closely with their Indian partners to prepare the US contribution to the Chandrayaan spacecraft, exemplifying the ideals of our bilateral partnership," he said. David Southwood, director of science at the Paris-based European Space Agency (ESA), said the European-made instruments aboard India's moon probe were the hallmark of closer cooperation between the two space powers. "In an era of renewed interest for the Moon on a worldwide scale, the ESA-ISRO collaboration on Chandrayaan-1 is a new opportunity for Europe to expand its competence in lunar science while tightening the long-standing relationship with India -- an ever stronger space power," Southwood said in a statement from Paris. The NASA chief congratulated Indian scientists for the successful launch of India's maiden mission to Moon -- Chandrayaan-1.
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said "Congratulations to our Indian colleagues on the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, which is carrying two NASA instruments. India's first lunar mission will provide important insights into the lunar environment including data that will help support NASA's ongoing efforts to return humans to the moon," he added. "This exciting cooperative mission is a major step in our mutually beneficial relationship in civil space exploration. On a personal basis, I am delighted for my Indian colleagues with their new level of achievement," he said. Senator Obama, who is ahead in most opinion polls for the November presidential election, stressed on the importance for the US to train new scientists and engineers for the next generation so as not to "let other countries surpass" American technical capabilities.
In a statement he said, "With India's launch of its first unmanned lunar spacecraft following closely on the heels of China's first spacewalk, we are reminded just how urgently the United States must revitalize its space program if we are to remain the undisputed leader in space, science, and technology," Senator Obama said. "We must not only retain our space workforce so that we don't let other countries surpass our technical capabilities; we must train new scientists and engineers for the next generation," Obama said in a statement posted on SpaceRef.Com He said his plan to revitalize the space program and close the gap between the Space Shuttle's retirement and its next-generation replacement includes $2 billion more for NASA -- but more money alone is not enough," the Illinois democrat added.
"My comprehensive space policy focuses on reaching new frontiers through human space exploration, tapping the ingenuity of our commercial space entrepreneurs, fostering a broad research agenda to break new ground on the world's leading scientific discoveries, and engaging students through educational programs that excite them about space and science," Obama said. With PTI inputs
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