Sunday
The people at ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organization, have scheduled their first lunar probe for October 22nd.
You can read the Times of India and The Hindu for more information.
I sometimes wonder if we will see a second 'Race To The Moon', this time betwixt India and China for pretty much the same reasons as the first. If so, I hope to be sitting in the lounge watching the news with a Guinness in hand after flying Virgin Galactic to the Bigelow Luna.
Speaking of tourism... Richard Garriot flies to the space station today. There is no bar there, but hopefully the Russians keep a little stash of vodka for 'medicinal purposes'.
Richard's aunch occurred successfully at 3am EDT. Docking will happen Tuesday and there will be live coverage on NASA Select starting at 0530 EDT.
And I have a picture of a US Government official holding a sample.
Back On Topic (BOT)
The Chinese and Indian space race includes the Japanese. At the ISDC Ryan Faith made the point that the Chinese would not feel too bad if the US beats them back to the Moon, However they are in a race to be the predominant ASIAN space power and their rivals are Japan, India and to a lesser extent South Korea.
Posted by Taylor at October 12, 2008 03:37 PM
Create computer games, call yourself Lord British, become a cosmonaut!
More on Richard Garriot in space:
http://www.richardinspace.com/
Posted by moonbat nibbler at October 12, 2008 04:47 PM
Oh, Lord British? Why didn't they say so? I was wondering who this "Richard Garriot" bloke was. Never liked his games much, but at least I know who he is now.
Posted by Sam Duncan at October 12, 2008 05:42 PM
If the Chinese get there before the Indians, which seems likely, I hope they declare the moon a "breakaway Chinese province" and claim the whole thing.
That ought to renew everybody's interest in returning to the moon.
Posted by Billll at October 12, 2008 07:45 PM
