” …NASA has spent about $100 million for development and fabrication of the instruments, officials said….”

READ at:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/6073509.html

This is actually more than what we Indians have spent on the whole mission. Goes on to show the resourcefullness of Indians, yet also shows that Americans too worked their butts off.

“….The ISRO – NASA partnership allows ISRO to utilise three deep space complexes, in California, Spain, and Australia, to receive scientific data 24×7 from Chandrayaan-1, at no additional cost. Reports suggest that NASA usually charges around $25,000 an hour for receiving data from space missions not carrying its instruments…..”

Read more at: http://www.domain-b.com/aero/space/spacemissions/20081022_nasa.html

The ESA’s contribution I mentioned that above. Its at ESA’s website at.

http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMJD85KXMF_index_0.html
Go to the end and READ.

And for Chakravarty who thinks I am Adam, this is surprising as I thought he was a chinese agent who wants to provoke the Americans and Europeans into not collaborating with Indians in Space. Chinese are hell bent breaking any such partnership.

Yes it is the same Americans and Europeans who imposed sanctions when we tested our nukes. But they are the same people that promoted free trade that allowed IT jobs being outsourced to us in India. They are the same people who bring in much needed foreign investement into india. They are the same people that allow companies like TATA, Reliances, Mittals etc to buy their companies for economic prosperity.

My fellow foolish Indians buring in rage with your teeny tiny egos will make you be more like Raj Thackereys and Mayawatis of this world. This slippery slope of identity politics and self serving ego boosts will only end up tearing us up internally.

Grow up. We are 6 billion people living in this tiny speck of dust called earth. We have to live on this earth together.

This mission to moon by indians is indeed a great mission by us. Yet lets also acknowledge those who also played a role in helping us get there. And also do remember they also did it before us.

You were trying to explain how the global community has come together. The Indian readers construed it as diminishing their achievement.

There is a polite way of giving your point of view in a comment. Unfortunately, everybody on the internet is a “badass”. People who would never have the courage to say something in conversation use the most rude and vulgar language they can on the web.
Dont let that stop you from blogging.

You have quoted from the ESA to defend a somewhat paternalistic comment from Adam.

To be fair, shouldn’t you also have quoted the numerous comments from ISRO about how almost everything was done indigenously.

However, I would agree with you that we could be magnanimous and appreciate his desire for scientific cooperation that cuts across national borders.

However, having suffered so many sanctions and been subjected to so many technology denial regimes, and in particular, having been brutally colonized and pauperized by Britain, it would behoove those seeking cooperation with India to be a bit more honest and appreciative of the magnitude of India’s own heroic efforts in this regard.

As others have noted, India could have well undertaken this mission without the cooperation of others. That it chose to cooperate with other agencies demonstrates India’s desire for genuine international cooperation – not hand-holding or paternalistic indulgence (as what might be incorrectly) inferred from the article.

Nevertheless, I do sense a certain positive spirit in Adam’s article, and having made our point, I’d now vote to give him a break – and here is to greater future cooperation – but with a spirit of mutual recognition and respect.

Venkat is Adam Hadhazy.

ESA or any other country’s space agency has not helped ISRO in anyway. ESA’s website says that also. They have just loaded their instruments at a low cost offered on friendly terms by India as a magnanimous gesture.

I will appreciate an article that is written in good humour and with the correct facts. Especially a scientific one at that. But to tolerate an article that is intended to poke fun at certain communities or people is just not on!

We Indians have only recently been getting the great successess we yearned and rightly strived for.

Lets be humble and magnanimous in our success as we have always been in our history and culture. Lets not get carried away and become arrogant – which history has shown always led to the eventual downfall of mighty civilizations.

God Bless India, God Bless the world whose integral part we are.

Take care.
Venkat