Pakistan started space programme 8 years before India, today ISRO is galaxies ahead

[XDescendantX]

WTF are we doing? We have an all-weather ally right across the border which is one of the top 3 powers in space tech. Let's open up some Chinese language classes and start collaborating with China in this field.

 

[monitor]

The year is 1961. A charismatic new president John F Kennedy has just taken oath in the United States, the Soviet Union has put the first man in space and a little-known band called the Beatles is playing its first show in England.

But something equally momentous is happening in Pakistan, where globally renowned physicist Abdus Salam is convincing president Ayub Khan to set up a national space agency, the first in the subcontinent. In September that year, Salam sets up the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) headquartered in Karachi – a full eight years before neighbour India formalises its own space agency.

The initial years of the agency are buoyed by hope. Four top scientists are sent to the Nasa to study space technology and Salam’s growing stature in the scientific world – he would win the Physics Nobel Prize in 1979 – help attract talent to the nascent organisation.

In 1962, Suparco launches its first rocket, Rehbar I, from a range off the Karachi coast with help from Nasa, a year before India’s first rocket would blast off from the Thumba launching station. Pakistan becomes the third Asian country to launch rockets after Israel and Japan.

But despite its head start, the Suparco today is decades behind the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in both mission success and technological prowess.

ISRO broke a world record by sending 104 satellites to space Ron Wednesday – in contrast, Suparco is not expected to have indigenous satellite launching and producing technology for at least two decades and the target it has set itself is 2040. India plans to reach Venus and revisit Mars by then, if not more.

But what happened to the subcontinent’s oldest space agency? The answer lies in a concoction of government apathy, poor education funding and an overarching military leadership dictating scientific goals.

In the 1970s, ISRO accelerates its technological and scientific intake in the run up to the first satellite launch Aryabhatta-I in 1975.



But Suparco is already falling behind as the government shifts attention to the atomic bomb project, shifting key resources and scientists out of the space agency. The only high point of the decade is a visit by Apollo 17 astronauts. Pakistan would launch its first satellite, Badr I, only in 1990 with Chinese assistance.

But the real fall comes in the 1980s and 1990s. First, President Zia-ul-Haq cuts off funding to major projects, including the flagship satellite communication launch. Then, military generals are placed atop the organisation, replacing scientists and the focus of the agency becomes countering India, rather than independent research.

At the same time, the government disowns Salam for being Ahmadiyya and shuns all assistance that one of 20th century’s most important theoretical physicists could have offered. This affects the production of indigenous technology that is the backbone of ISRO or any modern agency, and makes Suparco dependent on foreign doles.

In contrast, ISRO launches its first communications satellite, starts technology sharing programmes with several countries and unveils a remote sensing satellite system that is now the largest in the world. The agency is also successful in attracting talent, helped by its autonomy and scientists at the helm.

Today, Suparco continues to hurt, mainly from crunched education funding that is the lowest in south Asia and continued military supervision.

Its current chairman -- Qaiser Anees Khurrum – is a former top general. The agency has suffered a series of embarrassing failures in recent decades. It has had to give up orbital slots because it couldn’t launch in time, its first satellite was leased from the US and its second was launched in as late as 2011.

The agency is now pinning its hopes on a Mission 2040 – by when it aims to have indigenous satellite making and launching capabilities – but whether it will meet its target is anyone’s guess.

(The author studied the space exploration history as part of a masters course in astrophysics and space science. He tweets @dhrubo127)


http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...axies-ahead/story-uZW0NQG5Qmxa1o2QM8M8SL.html

It's a great achievement by India as a developing backward country in the field of space research but comparing it with Pakistan or other country is unnecessary as priority are different for different country. Pakistan needed to secured their country's territorial integrity first from hawkish neighbor then to going Mars or Venus, they did it and after economic prosperity they can pour more fund for space research .before that fund is more necessary for Education or infrastructure developement.

 

[lonelyman]

The year is 1961. A charismatic new president John F Kennedy has just taken oath in the United States, the Soviet Union has put the first man in space and a little-known band called the Beatles is playing its first show in England.

But something equally momentous is happening in Pakistan, where globally renowned physicist Abdus Salam is convincing president Ayub Khan to set up a national space agency, the first in the subcontinent. In September that year, Salam sets up the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) headquartered in Karachi – a full eight years before neighbour India formalises its own space agency.

The initial years of the agency are buoyed by hope. Four top scientists are sent to the Nasa to study space technology and Salam’s growing stature in the scientific world – he would win the Physics Nobel Prize in 1979 – help attract talent to the nascent organisation.

In 1962, Suparco launches its first rocket, Rehbar I, from a range off the Karachi coast with help from Nasa, a year before India’s first rocket would blast off from the Thumba launching station. Pakistan becomes the third Asian country to launch rockets after Israel and Japan.

But despite its head start, the Suparco today is decades behind the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in both mission success and technological prowess.

ISRO broke a world record by sending 104 satellites to space Ron Wednesday – in contrast, Suparco is not expected to have indigenous satellite launching and producing technology for at least two decades and the target it has set itself is 2040. India plans to reach Venus and revisit Mars by then, if not more.

But what happened to the subcontinent’s oldest space agency? The answer lies in a concoction of government apathy, poor education funding and an overarching military leadership dictating scientific goals.

In the 1970s, ISRO accelerates its technological and scientific intake in the run up to the first satellite launch Aryabhatta-I in 1975.



But Suparco is already falling behind as the government shifts attention to the atomic bomb project, shifting key resources and scientists out of the space agency. The only high point of the decade is a visit by Apollo 17 astronauts. Pakistan would launch its first satellite, Badr I, only in 1990 with Chinese assistance.

But the real fall comes in the 1980s and 1990s. First, President Zia-ul-Haq cuts off funding to major projects, including the flagship satellite communication launch. Then, military generals are placed atop the organisation, replacing scientists and the focus of the agency becomes countering India, rather than independent research.

At the same time, the government disowns Salam for being Ahmadiyya and shuns all assistance that one of 20th century’s most important theoretical physicists could have offered. This affects the production of indigenous technology that is the backbone of ISRO or any modern agency, and makes Suparco dependent on foreign doles.

In contrast, ISRO launches its first communications satellite, starts technology sharing programmes with several countries and unveils a remote sensing satellite system that is now the largest in the world. The agency is also successful in attracting talent, helped by its autonomy and scientists at the helm.

Today, Suparco continues to hurt, mainly from crunched education funding that is the lowest in south Asia and continued military supervision.

Its current chairman -- Qaiser Anees Khurrum – is a former top general. The agency has suffered a series of embarrassing failures in recent decades. It has had to give up orbital slots because it couldn’t launch in time, its first satellite was leased from the US and its second was launched in as late as 2011.

The agency is now pinning its hopes on a Mission 2040 – by when it aims to have indigenous satellite making and launching capabilities – but whether it will meet its target is anyone’s guess.

(The author studied the space exploration history as part of a masters course in astrophysics and space science. He tweets @dhrubo127)


http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...axies-ahead/story-uZW0NQG5Qmxa1o2QM8M8SL.html

This is ridiculous, belittling Pakistan at every chance to feel good, what about half worlds poverty population and open air shit, sexual violence against women etc.. India is at least five times of size of Pakistan, of course u have more resources. Pakistan simply has other priorities, do u see us laughing at you after we soft landing on the moon or send two men in the space station for a month.

Really no scientific values by sending up 1kg cubes and polluting space, except morale boasting and media hype, real work like space station, rovers , communication satellites, gps satellites are the "real stuff", that's why no space power like nasa and Russians are doing this "stunt". As today, India still relies on frenches for the real payload. India sees this as a propaganda tool just like 13kg payload to Mars to escape the hard stuff like manned space and heavy launchers

 

[Kailash Rava]

what about half worlds poverty population and open air shit, sexual violence against women

We are taking care of it.. FYI u have poverty ,corruption and violence more then us.

Pakistan simply has other priorities

Yes making more nukes

do u see us laughing at you after we soft landing on the moon or send two men in the space station for a month.

Sure..by then we have achieved in colonizing in mars or moon.

Really no scientific values by sending up 1kg cubes and polluting space, except morale boasting and media hype, real work like space station, rovers , communication satellites, gps satellites are the "real stuff", that's why no space power like nasa and Russians are doing this "stunt". As today, India still relies on frenches for the real payload. India sees this as a propaganda tool just like 13kg payload to Mars to escape the hard stuff like manned space and heavy launchers

I'll send you burnol

 

[wiseone2]

The year is 1961. A charismatic new president John F Kennedy has just taken oath in the United States, the Soviet Union has put the first man in space and a little-known band called the Beatles is playing its first show in England.

But something equally momentous is happening in Pakistan, where globally renowned physicist Abdus Salam is convincing president Ayub Khan to set up a national space agency, the first in the subcontinent. In September that year, Salam sets up the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) headquartered in Karachi – a full eight years before neighbour India formalises its own space agency.

The initial years of the agency are buoyed by hope. Four top scientists are sent to the Nasa to study space technology and Salam’s growing stature in the scientific world – he would win the Physics Nobel Prize in 1979 – help attract talent to the nascent organisation.

In 1962, Suparco launches its first rocket, Rehbar I, from a range off the Karachi coast with help from Nasa, a year before India’s first rocket would blast off from the Thumba launching station. Pakistan becomes the third Asian country to launch rockets after Israel and Japan.

But despite its head start, the Suparco today is decades behind the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in both mission success and technological prowess.

ISRO broke a world record by sending 104 satellites to space Ron Wednesday – in contrast, Suparco is not expected to have indigenous satellite launching and producing technology for at least two decades and the target it has set itself is 2040. India plans to reach Venus and revisit Mars by then, if not more.

But what happened to the subcontinent’s oldest space agency? The answer lies in a concoction of government apathy, poor education funding and an overarching military leadership dictating scientific goals.

In the 1970s, ISRO accelerates its technological and scientific intake in the run up to the first satellite launch Aryabhatta-I in 1975.



But Suparco is already falling behind as the government shifts attention to the atomic bomb project, shifting key resources and scientists out of the space agency. The only high point of the decade is a visit by Apollo 17 astronauts. Pakistan would launch its first satellite, Badr I, only in 1990 with Chinese assistance.

But the real fall comes in the 1980s and 1990s. First, President Zia-ul-Haq cuts off funding to major projects, including the flagship satellite communication launch. Then, military generals are placed atop the organisation, replacing scientists and the focus of the agency becomes countering India, rather than independent research.

At the same time, the government disowns Salam for being Ahmadiyya and shuns all assistance that one of 20th century’s most important theoretical physicists could have offered. This affects the production of indigenous technology that is the backbone of ISRO or any modern agency, and makes Suparco dependent on foreign doles.

In contrast, ISRO launches its first communications satellite, starts technology sharing programmes with several countries and unveils a remote sensing satellite system that is now the largest in the world. The agency is also successful in attracting talent, helped by its autonomy and scientists at the helm.

Today, Suparco continues to hurt, mainly from crunched education funding that is the lowest in south Asia and continued military supervision.

Its current chairman -- Qaiser Anees Khurrum – is a former top general. The agency has suffered a series of embarrassing failures in recent decades. It has had to give up orbital slots because it couldn’t launch in time, its first satellite was leased from the US and its second was launched in as late as 2011.

The agency is now pinning its hopes on a Mission 2040 – by when it aims to have indigenous satellite making and launching capabilities – but whether it will meet its target is anyone’s guess.

(The author studied the space exploration history as part of a masters course in astrophysics and space science. He tweets @dhrubo127)


http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...axies-ahead/story-uZW0NQG5Qmxa1o2QM8M8SL.html

why are we comparing India with Pakistan ?
it is interesting Pakistan choose not to invest in civilian aerospace program

 

[gslv mk3]

This is ridiculous, belittling Pakistan at every chance to feel good, what about half worlds poverty population and open air shit, sexual violence against women etc.. India is at least five times of size of Pakistan, of course u have more resources. Pakistan simply has other priorities, do u see us laughing at you after we soft landing on the moon or send two men in the space station for a month.

Really no scientific values by sending up 1kg cubes and polluting space, except morale boasting and media hype, real work like space station, rovers , communication satellites, gps satellites are the "real stuff", that's why no space power like nasa and Russians are doing this "stunt". As today, India still relies on frenches for the real payload. India sees this as a propaganda tool just like 13kg payload to Mars to escape the hard stuff like manned space and heavy launchers

 

[Tshering22]

This is ridiculous, belittling Pakistan at every chance to feel good, what about half worlds poverty population and open air shit, sexual violence against women etc.. India is at least five times of size of Pakistan, of course u have more resources. Pakistan simply has other priorities, do u see us laughing at you after we soft landing on the moon or send two men in the space station for a month.

How is this belittling when we admit that they started space exploration before us? In fact, it is admirable considering the sophistication of thought that Ayub Khan had in those days when Pakistani economy was much better than us and people around the world thought of Pakistan as the next Turkey of that time.

Belittling others is what your government has attempted to do that too in a very pathetic sense regarding our satellite launch.

Please read the whole article from the beginning and then comment.

 

[egodoc222]

WTF are we doing? We have an all-weather ally right across the border which is one of the top 3 powers in space tech. Let's open up some Chinese language classes and start collaborating with China in this field.

Nobody will give away their space technology!!
It's pinnacle of scientific and technological advancement of human race for god sakes!!

 

[Majet Raha]

This is ridiculous, belittling Pakistan at every chance to feel good, what about half worlds poverty population and open air shit, sexual violence against women etc.. India is at least five times of size of Pakistan, of course u have more resources. Pakistan simply has other priorities, do u see us laughing at you after we soft landing on the moon or send two men in the space station for a month.

Really no scientific values by sending up 1kg cubes and polluting space, except morale boasting and media hype, real work like space station, rovers , communication satellites, gps satellites are the "real stuff", that's why no space power like nasa and Russians are doing this "stunt". As today, India still relies on frenches for the real payload. India sees this as a propaganda tool just like 13kg payload to Mars to escape the hard stuff like manned space and heavy launchers

china is not far behind in all the topics that you mentioned, you may have better in figures by few numbers but dont count outside of any.
Both, yours and mine, nations are working to eradicate poverty.
Sexual violence against women, you have passed a new law to tackle this issue but it is also failing to control the violence. To my regret, this is a global problem and must be removed immediately.

And country size do not matter, if this is the case Japan which was your long time rival should be still begger, but it is not.
pakistan is a pathological liar, and a snake waiting to bite. You dont know yet, soon it will come to bite you.

Coming to technological powers, you need to understand that you are talking about India and not about pakistan here. Stand down, or come and fight. Don't talk nonsense, you are your chini idiots talk lot like your government gives free warnings.
Who are you to determine the scientific values of our launch? where were these scientific values when you exploded a satellite for test? that created lot of junk, go and clean it first.

And this is a free advice, take it or leave it, if china have any daily international newspaper start reading it and you will hear lot about India and its space program.

 

[trident2010]

No need to compare to Pakistan as each country has its priorities and Pakistan is doing well in the resources she got available. What we are doing now is being done 60 years ago as we couldn't do it then as we had different priorities and limited resources. We should compare and compete with USA and China in all the fields not with the countries already behind India.

 

[Mustang06]

Really no scientific values by sending up 1kg cubes and polluting space, except morale boasting and media hype, real work like space station, rovers , communication satellites, gps satellites are the "real stuff", that's why no space power like nasa and Russians are doing this "stunt". As today, India still relies on frenches for

We are not doing it for free and reason small companies prefer ISRO is the low cost it asks for launch. This is also the reason you don't hear USA/Russia doing this as they charge too much and small companies are not able afford it. Low cost space launches is the way forward to enable countries/companies can launch their satellite!

 

[GHOSTS]

Our neighbours are so butthurt I read the same shit in every thread. Well done ISRO u made us proud.

 

[somebozo]

Because india did not go into pleasing their hindu sadhus over science...thats why ISRO went forward and SUPARCO went backwards..

 

[anant_s]

@waz @WAJsal @Zaki
Gentlemen please put some sort of censorship on these sort of threads which serve only one purpose.
While i'm a great supporter of Indian achievements in Science and technology, it cannot serve as sole criteria to show superiority. Our space program is a shinning example of what can be done by determination and resolve even in face of sanctions and frugal budgets, but i'm no supporter of using the same to undermine other nations / societies.
ISRO scientists have been most gracious in their achievements, remaining humble.
Let us too follow their example and not ridicule anyone.

 

[django]

This is ridiculous, belittling Pakistan at every chance to feel good, what about half worlds poverty population and open air shit, sexual violence against women etc.. India is at least five times of size of Pakistan, of course u have more resources. Pakistan simply has other priorities, do u see us laughing at you after we soft landing on the moon or send two men in the space station for a month.

Really no scientific values by sending up 1kg cubes and polluting space, except morale boasting and media hype, real work like space station, rovers , communication satellites, gps satellites are the "real stuff", that's why no space power like nasa and Russians are doing this "stunt". As today, India still relies on frenches for the real payload. India sees this as a propaganda tool just like 13kg payload to Mars to escape the hard stuff like manned space and heavy launchers

Well said!