India is Heading for the Moon

[Patroklos]

Of the 11 instruments carried by the satellite, five are Indian, three are from the European Space Agency, two from the U.S. and one from Bulgaria

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Isn't the lunar surface already mapped?

Hey, maybe they're re-naming all the features on the surface.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by aneeshm
The surface may be mapped, but this time, the payloads are looking for Helium-3 and deposits of frozen water, along with other valuables which may make further exploration and exploitation profitable. The cameras this time have a much higher resolution, too, which is why the mission is scientifically valuable.

Don't forget to send us back some piccies of the remains of the Apollo missions, to put to bed those nasty little stories about faked landings.

[Patroklos]

What, you think India is actually capable of getting to the moon? The story here isn't that the Indian space program is coming into its own, but rather that Bollywood is coming into its own.

[Cort Haus]

:tinfoilhat:

[Patroklos]

[Elok]

Originally posted by aneeshm
NASA is planning to use the data from this mission to decide the tentative location of a lunar base, based on proximity to water.

So now we're outsourcing the space program to you folks too?

[Riesstiu IV]

NASA and the Indian space program are planning to build a call center on the moon so that future astronauts who travel to Mars or work on the ISS can call for tech support.

"You say your life support is of line and you are rapidly losing oxygen? Sir, have you tried holding the reset button for 30 seconds?"

[Japher]

Sanskrit has a word for "moon craft"?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Japher
Sanskrit has a word for "moon craft"?

Civilization along the Indus in ancient times was much more advanced than we usually give them credit for. It's also been proven that they also invented the lawn chair, the TV game show and the assurance that the check is in the mail.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Riesstiu IV
NASA and the Indian space program are planning to build a call center on the moon so that future astronauts who travel to Mars or work on the ISS can call for tech support.

"You say your life support is of line and you are rapidly losing oxygen? Sir, have you tried holding the reset button for 30 seconds?"

"Sir, are you sure your life support system is plugged in?

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Japher
Sanskrit has a word for "moon craft"?

Well, "Chandra" means moon and "yaan" means transportation craft of an undefined type, so Chandrayaan means mooncraft. The same way you get spacecraft by combining 'space' and 'craft'.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by aneeshm


Well, "Chandra" means moon ....

When I was home from college one summer, the kids in my town started a teenage hangout called IIRC the "Shandra" or "Chandra," which I was told meant "Peace." Is this a correct translation?

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


When I was home from college one summer, the kids in my town started a teenage hangout called IIRC the "Shandra" or "Chandra," which I was told meant "Peace." Is this a correct translation?

Chandra definitely means moon. Shanti means peace. Are you completely sure of what you recollect?

[Impaler[WrG]]

Dose Chandra have any connection with the Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the discover of Nobel physicist who discovered the Chandrasekhar limit? Is his name literally translated moon-something?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subrahmanyan_Chandrasekhar

EDIT: Looks like the answer was at the bottom of my own link, it means "holder of the moon" and is a common name.