Category: Space Exploration

Introduction

NASA’s projected cost of its Mars mission stands at $679 million. In contrast, the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Mars mission has spent $600 less to launch the same mission (Burke, 2013). Nevertheless, ISRO has been heavily criticized for its huge spending on this mission.

Critics argue that this money should have been used to alleviate poverty in a country whose over 320 million citizens live below the poverty line. Moreover, this quest has been branded as an attempt to “steal an interplanetary march on India’s regional rival, China” (Ajey, 2013, p. 1). The Mangalyaan (the spacecraft), which was launched on November 2013, is the first mission to the red planet by an Asian country.

In any given country, the allocation of resources should involve prioritizing and sequencing by the government. This implies that, based on the concept of opportunity cost, priority should be given to projects that are beneficial to the people. The writer of this paper argues that India’s mission to Mars indicates a lack of prioritization by the national government and therefore, a waste of resources. It would have been better if India had spent these funds on its poor people and country instead of spending it on the mission.

The Mangalyaan Mission to Mars

India’s mission to the red planet aims to collect scientific evidence of life on Mars, to show its technology, and to gain national pride by being the first Asian country to launch the mission (Burke, 2013). However, India has many problems and governance issues that need urgent attention.

The concept of opportunity cost dictates that, at an individual level as well as at the collective level, prioritizing and sequencing are essential in the allocation of limited resources (Shukla, 1996). Thus, societal priorities should determine a government’s allocation of public resources. The correct and fair allocation of resources determines the prosperity of any society, and, by extension, that of a nation.

India’s mission to Mars, though a noble one, cannot be justified using the concept of opportunity cost. It can only be justified on the basis that it will broaden our understanding of the red planet. This may be construed as a benefit. However, the cost of this mission raises concerns about the government’s prioritization approach.

Although India spent $600 less of what NASA spent on a similar mission, the salient issue, in the writer’s opinion, is the opportunity cost of this mission. In India, the 2013 mission to Mars was not a priority at that time and thus, a wrong decision. The resources would have been spent on other key economic projects.

Moreover, the findings of the Indian probe may not be relevant to the country. In particular, the scientific discoveries that the Mangalyaan may make will not directly benefit the people of India. The knowledge of Martian atmosphere or geology would be of little use considering the fact that over 320 million people in India are poor (Drèze & Sen, 2002).

Proponents may argue that basic research is beneficial to humanity. However, in the writer’s view, a probe of extraterrestrial bodies including Mars does not qualify as basic research. Basic research should help people identify useful technologies (Drèze & Sen, 2002). In this regard, India should invest in basic research in R&D areas that would benefit its people.

There are many research and development areas where India can spend its resources. One such area is solar power. In the recent past, over 600 million citizens in India experienced severe power cuts (Burke, 2013). Basic research in solar power generation would yield a technology that would directly benefit the population.

Such a technology would lead to reduced energy bills and increase the country’s capacity for research. Geographically, India’s location means that the country has a great potential for solar energy generation (Drèze & Sen, 2002). Thus, the country’s R&D should prioritize solar energy research as this would directly stimulate productivity and economic growth.

Besides basic research, a number of public services need government funding. Over 40% of children in India are severely malnourished and more than 50% of the Indian population lack access to toilets and sanitation services (Drèze & Sen, 2002). Also, the instability of the Indian rupee, poor governance and a relatively low economic growth rate (about 10%) raise concerns regarding the relevance of the Mangalyaan mission.

The main argument here is that India, as a developing nation, has many areas that need urgent public funding. Developing nations should invest in areas that benefit the citizens and leave extraterrestrial exploration to rich countries. It would be pointless to compete with the US, the European Space Agency and Russia in space exploration as such countries have a definitive comparative advantage over developing nations. In this view, a poor country’s R&D spending should be determined by priorities and benefits of the research.

National Pride vs. National Problems

It is argued that India’s mission to Mars will bring “a lot of national pride to the country” (Burke, 2013, p. 1). Globally, India joins the likes of the US, Russia and the European Space Agency that have sent missions to Mars. Indeed, India’s mission is no mean feat.

The country can pride itself in its technology and scientific knowledge. However, India has one of the lowest basic literacy levels in the world. It is ranked number 140 globally (Shukla, 1996). Thus, it can be argued that the $75 million spent on the Mars mission should have been used to improve basic literacy in the country.

India’s low literacy level needs an urgent solution. An educated population would be essential for social and economic development of the country.

According to Narasimha (2008), India’s education system has failed and needs urgent review to incorporate advanced technologies and content in learning. Thus, using the $75 million to address the literacy problems would have helped the country grow economically and socially. For instance, the Indian government can fund a research to identify a solution to the country’s literacy problem.

The legal system is another area that needs urgent attention. There is a backlog of cases in the Indian courts (Narasimha, 2008). Therefore, public resources should be directed at expanding the justice system. This will have direct public benefits. Other areas that need urgent public funding include public sanitation services, the legal system and poverty alleviation. These are some of the important areas that India would have used the $75 million to develop instead of spending it on the mission to Mars.

Conclusion

Due to limited resources, public spending needs prioritizing and sequencing. As a developing country, India needs to prioritize the areas of public spending based on their public benefits. Although the country spent a relatively small sum of money to launch its Mars mission, the country has many priority areas that need urgent attention.

The high levels of poverty and the low literacy levels indicate that the decision to launch a mission to Mars was a bad one. The scientific data from this mission will have fewer benefits to the citizens. Thus, if that money had been spent on key areas of the economy such as education and public sanitation, the Indian economy would have made a great leap forward.

References

Ajey, L. (2013). Mission to Mars: India’s Quest for the Red Planet. New York: Springer.

Burke, J. (2013). ISRO to launch India’s first Spacecraft to Mars. Web.

Drèze, J., & Sen A. (2002). India: development and participation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Narasimha, R. (2008). Science, Technology and the Economy: An Indian Perspective. Technology in Society, 30(2), 330-338.

Shukla, S. (1996). From pre-colonial to post-colonial: Educational transitions in southern Asia. Economic and Political Weekly, 31(22), 344-349.

Facts about Mass

Mars is one of the eight major planets that form the solar system together with the sun. Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, and it takes about 686.93 days to completely revolve around it. The atmosphere of Mars is estimated to be less than 1% of that of the earth.

Its atmosphere is so thin that it can neither retain heat within the surface, nor prevent the planet from receiving strong radiations from the sun. The atmosphere comprises about 95% carbon dioxide, 1.6% argon, 2.7% nitrogen, 0.13% oxygen, and 0.03% water (Coffey 1).

Apart from its unique atmosphere, Mars has other interesting features that other planets do not have. Firstly, the planet has the tallest volcano in the entire solar system. The volcanic mountain is called Olympus Mons and it is approximately 27 kilometers in height above the plains surrounding it.

The volcano is still active as evident by the lava that flows from it. Additionally, Mars has the most extensive and deepest gorge in the entire solar system, which is called the Marineris Valley. The canyon covers a distance of approximately 4,000 kilometers along the planet’s equator and stretches for a depth of about 7 kilometers into the ground (Cain 1).

In addition, Mars is regarded as the only other planet apart from the earth that can support life. Mars has an atmosphere that is composed of gasses such as carbon dioxide, argon, nitrogen and oxygen. Mars also has water, which is also one of the essential elements that support life. The planet’s water exists in liquid form just like it does on earth, which has numerous living things (Cain 1).

The Trip

The trip to Mars can take a long time, but that depends on the date of the trip. The shortest distance between the earth and Mars is approximately 55 kilometers, which occurs when the former and the latter are at their farthest and closest points from the sun respectively. When the two planets are on opposite sides, the distance between them can go as far as 401 kilometers.

The trip to Mars could take about 160 days if it started on the right time of the year. The trip will be made comfortable as much as possible by providing the passengers with luxurious items, such as cameras for capturing the unique features found on the planet. The trip to Mars is worth it since it will provide the passengers with an opportunity observto e the unique features found on the planet.

Food and Accommodation

The passengers involved in the trip to Mars will be provided with higthe h-quality packed food and the best accommodation facilities to make their trip interesting and comfortable. The passengers will be provided with a variety of foodstuffs that are sufficient for the entire journey. The passengers will also be given insulating jackets and blankets to protect them from the strong radiations, which fall on the surface of the planet.

Safety Risks

There are a few safety risks that may arise during the trip. Firstly, the spacecraft might develop mechanical problems during the journey. Secondly, the passengers may be adversely affected by the strong radiations hitting Mars’ surface as a result of the thin atmosphere of the planet.

However, these risks will be well provided for to ensure that the journey remains successful and comfortable. The first risk will be mitigated by using a spacecraft that has been severally tested for efficiency. The second risk will be prevented by using a spacecraft with a highly polished surface that can reflect the dangerous radiations from the sun.

Works Cited

Cain, Fraser. “Interesting Facts About Planet Mars.” Universe Today, 2008. Web.

Coffey, Jerry. “Atmosphere of Mars.” Universe Today, 2008. Web.

The task of modeling the external conditions of the Martian environment and technical device, among other things, includes working with risks. The system needs to instill decision-making methods based on the rover’s capabilities and partly on the modeling of the surface of Mars: sometimes, decisions need to be taken into account under conditions of uncertainty. The principal risks of the rover include internal factors, which are usually technical, and external, which can create insurmountable obstacles or system failure. However, each identified risk combines a confluence of internal and external circumstances. Firstly, the motor may overheat, resulting from both external conditions of high temperature and too much current supply inside the system. Secondly, the motor power may not be enough for a particular slope of the next obstacle. Finally, the third risk can be defined as potential towing on sands without the necessary traction force from the wheels.

The risk of engine overheating can lead to the all-terrain vehicle system’s complete failure and loss of communication with it. If the rover is not equipped with a temperature control sensor to protect or prevent other system components, the rover may be destroyed. The risk of a high obstacle, dictated by the motor’s power, can put the rover into an endless loop of attempts to climb to the surface, as a result of which fuel resources may run out. In the absence of control systems, both the first and second risks may occur infrequently, but only once. The frequency of the third risk of towing on a sandy surface depends on the geographic route of the rover. With proper mitigation of this risk, such a problem can only create a shortage of fuel resources. On the other hand, mechanical damage caused by high friction with the sandy surface can cause significant damage to essential parts of the rover, including those that provide its movement.

In the first case, a system should be created for controlling the supply of current and consider including a temperature sensor in the body of the all-terrain vehicle. The current supply system will control the maximum amount of current supplied to the motor, which will prevent the risk from occurring due to internal factors. The temperature sensor will disable the engine to prevent the destruction of the rover and will have to keep it in a state until it cools down. Overcoming the second risk of too high a slope should be addressed in advance by implementing a 2.6V motor that is more powerful than the current design. Naturally, at a particular inclination, this engine may not be able to cope due to too large an angle or duration of ascent. In this case, it is required to consider the obstacle scoring system and testing on different simulated inclinations to determine the rover’s maximum capabilities. Finally, in the third case of towing risk, it is necessary to adapt the structures to mitigate the risk. The wheels will be covered with rubber, and a grip tape will be added for better traction and overcoming various obstacles. A protective casing over the most critical parts can prevent friction with the sandy surface. As a result, the rover may lose speed but be more stable in a given environment.

Risk response control may include classifying all possible risks identified at several stages. The stage of theoretical assessment involves a hypothetical definition of risks. Then, at the modeling stage, hypotheses are tested, and new ones are determined. Finally, the phase of actual practice provides the most significant experience, reflecting the rover’s activity in specific conditions. The major retrospective will be the development of such a classification of risks, explaining how some of them can affect the device, what decisions were made to mitigate risks and where these decisions were effective, and where they need to be improved. The future project manager will immediately have a complete picture of the rover’s capabilities and see the full range of tasks facing the improvement of the device.