European space chief suggests making room for China, India on station
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The International Space Station is seen in an undated NASA handout picture, June 10, 2015. (Reuters Photo)
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FRANKFURT: The incoming head of the European Space Agency said in a published interview that the International Space Station should be opened up to astronauts from India and China.
The $100 billion space station, visible from Earth to the naked eye, is a habitable research outpost backed by 15 countries including the United States, Russia and Germany. China and India are not part of the group.
READ ALSO: India could come on board International Space Station
"We need to get away from the principle of being a closed club," Johann-Dietrich Woerner told German magazine Spiegel.
The space station is funded through 2020 and an extension until 2024 is under discussion.
An extension would give the US space agency more time to develop the technologies needed for eventual human missions to Mars, the long-term goal of NASA's human space programme.
READ ALSO: ISS shifts from its orbit after abrupt engine start
Keeping the station in orbit beyond 2020 also opens a window for commercial companies and researchers to benefit from hefty US investment in the outpost.
NASA's costs for operating the station, which flies about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, run about $3 billion a year.
Woerner also said that Europeans, who currently rely on Russia to travel into space, could launch their own manned rockets in five years. "I don't give up hope that we Europeans will manage our own take-off into orbit."
The $100 billion space station, visible from Earth to the naked eye, is a habitable research outpost backed by 15 countries including the United States, Russia and Germany. China and India are not part of the group.
READ ALSO: India could come on board International Space Station
"We need to get away from the principle of being a closed club," Johann-Dietrich Woerner told German magazine Spiegel.
The space station is funded through 2020 and an extension until 2024 is under discussion.
An extension would give the US space agency more time to develop the technologies needed for eventual human missions to Mars, the long-term goal of NASA's human space programme.
READ ALSO: ISS shifts from its orbit after abrupt engine start
Keeping the station in orbit beyond 2020 also opens a window for commercial companies and researchers to benefit from hefty US investment in the outpost.
NASA's costs for operating the station, which flies about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, run about $3 billion a year.
Woerner also said that Europeans, who currently rely on Russia to travel into space, could launch their own manned rockets in five years. "I don't give up hope that we Europeans will manage our own take-off into orbit."
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Try to do some constructive things, by which Pakistani leaders got no choice but to accept before their Public that, they are Inferior.
I heard Americans wish their Space Station to be King Size and Russians believe in something cheap and practical, irrespective of size. If some near Earth asteroid, a kilometer or so long, can be put in circular orbit around Earth for Space Station, it can satisfy wishes of all big stakeholders.
First it could be put on very long circular orbit between Earth and Moon and then slowly brought closer to Earth. Fail safe explosives could be planted all over, so that in case something goes wrong, as a last measure, asteroid can be broken into small pieces, which could completely burn up before hitting Earth.
Membership should be exclusive and open to Countries, who had displayed a rigorous capacity for Space exploration, and in case they are left out, there is a high chance that they might try to bring their own Space rock, alone, unmonitored and unsupervised, thus creating very high risk for life on Earth.
After that, Indians can boast, we knew about these things long before, its other thing that, Demon brothers like Taraka-sur and Tarakaksh used deception to take control of our Space Resorts behind our back.
its a Public forum, so its up to public to decide, is it a rant? or is it your perception?, because may be its beyond your capacity to understand!
Anyway don't loose heart, you fight good with Pakistanis.. so carry on!
But my view is that, fighting bare nails and teeth like wild animals might be necessary and only option on a day for survival, but Test match of life is won only by doing things, which only intelligent Humans can do, not animals. May be that’s why Humans control the Planet, even after being too physically weak than many wild animals.
After watching and thinking a lot about Hindi movies like ‘Virasat’ (legacy or inheritance) starring Mr. Anil Kapoor, I came to above conclusion.
India has put a probe in Martial orbit. USA put a similar probe in Mars's orbit in the seventies. You should know, you live in NY ... LOL
Clearly, you had no idea of what India's accomplishment was, until I explained it you.
As for aid, India does get a lot of aid from US for social programs. I am sure we get philanthropic aid from other countries too. India also got the infamous food-grain aid from the US in the seventies at the height of cold-war.