Obama sees Chandrayaan as a challenge
US presidential hopeful Barrack Obama viewed the historic launch of India’s first moon mission, Chandrayaan I, as a “challenge” and called for revitalising US “space programme if we are to remain the undisputed leader in space, science, and technology”.
Obama wanted to “close the gap between the Space Shuttle’s retirement and its next-generation replacement” and called for $2 billion more for NASA and training new scientists and engineers for the next generation. He also said his “comprehensive space policy focuses on reaching new frontiers through human space exploration, tapping the ingenuity of our commercial space entrepreneurs, fostering a broad research agenda to break new ground on the world’s leading scientific discoveries, and engaging students through educational programmes that excite them about space and science.”
Meanwhile a White House spokesperson has called this event “encouraging” and “exciting”. Clearly Chandrayaan has made the world to sit up and take notice.
