Well said, happymouse.
But if India pursues the Moon through govt. bureaucracy means like the USA does, it may take them 80 (not 8) years to succeed. When’s the last time the world’s 2nd(?) most populous nation won more than a couple medals at the Olympics? They’re rather laid back over there...
But if India offers competitive prizes to achieve the lunar goal though, then 8 years hardly seems all that unrealistic as long as the prize is adequate. Those folks are studying calculus before they’re even teenagers.
Speaking of lunar prizes, a neat one’s underway this weekend:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/070511_regolith_challenge.html
“When’s the last time the world’s 2nd(?) most populous nation won more than a couple medals at the Olympics? They’re rather laid back over there...”
Its not a function of being laid back. Its a function of not having sports infrastructure. Most schools dont have a play ground. Land is scarce. But as far as space is concerned they have made rapid strides in building that infrastructure during the last decade or so. Next year they will send their first mission to the moon.