India is set to send a mission to the moon in an Asian space race project that will boost its space programme into the same league as regional powerhouses Japan and China.The unmanned lunar orbiting spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 is scheduled to blast off aboard an Indian-built rocket at 6.20am (0050GMT) on Wednesday from Sriharikota on India's southeastern coast.
For India, the US$80m mission puts the country on the inside track of a fast-developing Asian space race.Kapil Sibal, India's science and technology minister said: "It is a proud moment for us."India, Japan and China see their space programmes as an important symbol of their international stature and economic development as they venture into carving a larger slice of the lucrative commercial satellite launch market. The Chandrayaan-1 is being sent on a two-year orbital mission to provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics of the moon's surface. "It's a landmark mission ... establishing India's credentials as a leader in space technology," said K. Kasturirangan, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation."This effort and similar efforts in the coming years will put India in a unique position to be an active partner in major global efforts involving planetary exploration and exploitation," Kasturirangan said.
