India can send astronaut to Mars in joint mission with US: Charles Elachi, NASA

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India can send astronaut to Mars in joint mission with US: Charles Elachi, NASA
By PTI | Feb 28, 2016, 09.17 AM IST
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"In future, India and the US could jointly explore Mars and who knows an Indian astronaut could also head to the Red planet on a joint mission."
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By Pallava Bagla

NEW DELHI: In future, India and the US could jointly exploreMarsand who knows an Indian astronaut could also head to theRed planeton a joint mission.

India's maiden mission to the Red Planet,Mangalyaan, has opened the eyes of the world on ISRO's capabilities at undertaking low cost, high value inter-planetary mission.

Charles Elachi, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory or JPL, a part of NASA and an institution better known for piloting most of the American planetary exploration efforts with rovers like Curiosity, says India and the US could jointly explore Mars and even invited India to send astronauts to the Red Planet. Excerpts of an interview:

The US is interested in going back to Mars, so is India. Will India and America look at a joint robotic mission to explore Mars?

We hope so that it will be the case in the future. At NASA, we are just beginning to plan for next mission to Mars for the next decade, which is 2020-2030. In fact shortly, there is a meeting in Washington on possible collaborations for the next 5-6 mission to Mars and ISRO is invited for that meeting. This is in preparation for the ultimate human space flight to Mars. We clearly hope that India would be interested. Hopefully, India will be part of the consortium between US, Europe, France, Italy among others where all can capitalise on our capabilities to explore the solar system.

A cooperative exploratory mission is what you are looking at?

Yes, that is right. With its accomplishment on the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) India is a great partner, India can be a full partner in the international endeavour for exploring Mars.

In the long run, President Barack Obama has said America should send humans to Mars, so are you looking at a collaboration with India on that mission, since India also has a human space flight program?

NASA is starting to plan for the human expedition to Mars, and NASA is looking at it as an international endeavour. NASA has invited international agencies to start thinking together on how to send humans to Mars and beyond. So clearly that is an area where there will be collaboration between India and the US considering the capability that India has, by showing that it can meaningfully contribute to international endeavours.

What was NASA's role in India's mission to Mars?

When India launched its mission to Mars, and I congratulate India on a superb mission by reaching the orbit or Mars in the very first attempt. JPL supported ISRO in the navigation and communication because of the antennas we have. Reaching the Mars orbit in first attempt was an amazing achievement and that too at such low cost. Now American scientists through its MAVEN mission and India through its Mars Orbiter Mission are sharing data.

NASA is looking to mine an asteroid, is India likely to participate on that mission?

We are looking at a mission using electric propulsion, which is a major advancement in technology, to capture an asteroid and bring it back to lunar orbit so that astronauts can go and do more deeper exploration. NASA has opened the door for potential interest, be it from India or Europe. We are in a very early stage of planning so that is clearly an opportunity for more collaboration with India.

Where are Indo-US relations in space heading?

I think they are heading for a very positive future, from five years ago the interest has now tremendously expanded. There is now good will both politically and scientifically, I am very optimistic about the future in space collaboration. Space is for everybody, the good will between two countries makes space a natural place to work together. The two can cooperate even in astronomy, India has a long history in astronomy. I visited the ancient observatory made by Indians (at Jantar Mantar) that is a few hundred years old that furthered knowledge and now we can do it together. India has a great tradition of learning.

What else is in store for NASA and ISRO in the future?

We have a mission called NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission. This is a major mission that will be launched in 2020. Here we are really collaborating as equals, between India and the US. This mission will allow us to look at natural resources across the world, natural hazards like tectonic motion, climate impact and climate change. This is of direct day-to-day benefit for life both in USA and India. This came up as a collaboration among scientists but is now a full-fledged approved joint mission between both countries.

How can you decipher things from space after a disaster strikes?

This is a RADAR mission, that has the capability to take a picture of the land, and then you come back a few days later and take another picture. In the meantime, if there was a change even down to a scale of a few centimeters we can detect it from space.

This gives you a picture of the motion that has occurred as result of an earthquake or mudslide. This will allow us to better understand the physics behind an earthquake. Potentially it will allow us to predict areas with large natural hazard.

This is of direct benefit be it for India or California where we see tectonic activity as well. The two main RADAR instruments are being developed by NASA and ISRO, the satellite bus will be Indian and it will be fabricated in India and then it will be launched using the Indian rocket the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. This time we are truly collaborating as equals.


India can send astronaut to Mars in joint mission with US: Charles Elachi, NASA - The Economic Times

 

[SrNair]

hmmm... they are probably looking for a replacement for their primates from a 3rd world country..

It seems you already got that job in NASA ,if your profile picture is right.

On topic : A man mission with NASA help is not a priority to us .Rakesh Sharma already did that in 1980s.
We should follow our own way .

 

[911]

I seems you already got that job in NASA ,if your profile picture is right.

On topic : A man mission with NASA help is not a priority to us .Rakesh Sharma already did that in 1980s.
We should follow our own way .

They are trying to lure those retards in pro American propaganda who think NASA is an international space agency because of movies

 

[ito]

These few days NASA people are visiting ISRO many times. I see a stronger collaborations between both these bodies in future on various space missions.


11COMMENTS

At least three teams from NASA have visited India in the last few days.

NEW DELHI: The change of heart is complete it seems. Shunned by the American space agency for long, the Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO is now the subject of exceptional adulation.

Impressed by India's frugal mission to Mars that captured the imagination of the scientific world for placing a satellite in the Martian orbit on its maiden attempt, NASA is now wooing ISRO to join as an equal partner in its journey to put boots on Red Planet.

NDTV has learnt that at least three different teams from NASA have visited India in the last few days, all courting ISRO into a tighter embrace. They seek India's participation in the International Space Station, America's forthcoming plans to return to Mars and even put an Indian on Mars.

The Mangalyaan mission was widely lauded for its efficiency.


"We sure are. On our journey to Mars, we will like to lead it from NASA and the US and we are looking for partners and ISRO will be a fantastic partner," said Dr Dava Newman, Deputy Administrator, NASA.

NASA also seeks India's partnership on flying humans to Mars by 2030 as announced by President Barrack Obama - towards which American astronaut of Indian origin Captain Sunita Williams has also been making a fervent plea when talking to stakeholders in New Delhi.

"It is more than just a possibility. We have a pretty extensive plan to go to Mars," she said.

Sunita Williams has been speaking to stakeholders in new Delhi.

In a way, a cooperation on Mars already exists. America has rovers like Curiosity on the Martian surface and satellites orbiting it alongside India's Mangalyaan. Both sides have been exchanging Martian data.

But will the partnership really be among equals? "Co-equal, long term partner, a partner in everything and in every sense of the word," Ambassador Richard Verma, US Embassy to India, New Delhi said emphatically.

India is also slowly warming up to the idea. "If NASA is wanting to partner, India should grab the opportunity. Since if we were to do it alone it would decades longer," Dr AS Pillai, Distinguished Professor, ISRO said.

For Trip To Mars, NASA Wants To Ride With ISRO

 

[Sergi]

I stopped reading after "could", " who knows" & "would".
No need to count the eggs in basket , yet.

 

[HariPrasad]

We must work on plazma rocket so that we can do planetary travel in short time like what we used to do in Vaidic period.

 

[Sergi]

We must work on plazma rocket so that we can do planetary travel in short time like what we used to do in Vaidic period.

Then we need to contact a dude here named @isro2222 that will do it . He has contacts

 

[Pumba]

 

[C130]

I stopped reading after "could", " who knows" & "would".
No need to count the eggs in basket , yet.

I don't even have faith in NASA and the SLS for a manned mission to Mars

the U.S government should just give $5 billion dollars to SpaceX to make the MCT and it'll be a reality in 5 years!!

 

[911]

Maybe they want us to pay half of missiom cost for them

 

[Sergi]

I don't even have faith in NASA and the SLS for a manned mission to Mars

the U.S government should just give $5 billion dollars to SpaceX to make the MCT and it'll be a reality in 5 years!!

I am not any expert but I personally doubt Any MANNED Mars mission in next ten years unless there is a major break trough in technology.

 

[Pulsar]

Then we need to contact a dude here named @isro2222 that will do it . He has contacts

Yep! Contacts with aliens from the Andromeda Galaxy.

 

[C130]

I am not any expert but I personally doubt Any MANNED Mars mission in next ten years unless there is a major break trough in technology.

the break through is reusable rockets. I have no doubt that SpaceX could build it's MCT for less than $5 billion dollars, and the cost to launch it to around $100 to $200 million compared to the Space Shuttle $450 million and SLS $500 million.

it's a just matter if they can perfect the landing and the refurbishment.

 

[ni8mare]

hmmm... they are probably looking for a replacement for their primates from a 3rd world country..

you look perfect for replacement for their primates from a 3rd world country..

 

[MarkusS]

I don't even have faith in NASA and the SLS for a manned mission to Mars

the U.S government should just give $5 billion dollars to SpaceX to make the MCT and it'll be a reality in 5 years!!

The SLS is a big joke. ESA has not faith in it at all. old SSME (space shuttle main engines) and old boosters. NASA is virtually dead. There is a reason why Europe does the Jupiter mission alone.