Space, the next frontier

SPACE, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Star Ship Enterprise. Its continuing mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Ever since the first episode of the Star Trek sci-fi series where Captain James T. Kirk of the Star Ship USS Enterprise blasts across the universe in search of new life, I have been completely mesmerised and fascinated with space and its infinite possibilities.

I was awed to read about the first man in space, the first man on the moon and the first space station. Its like a whole new world out there. Full of opportunities, possibilities and a whole new set of rules. It just gets more interesting and exciting.

Its common knowledge that the United States and Russia rule the upper atmosphere and space areas. And they have been the predominant powers in inner and outer space for well over half a century now.

In October 2003, China launched her first piloted space flight into earth's orbit. These were exciting times. A developing country had broken through into the space club.

This is what the Times of India editorial had to say about the launch.

"It would be better to call it China's Late Creep Forward, given that Beijing is attempting to showcase a four-decade-old technology....If this is China's idea of arriving, then it's come at a time when the other two spacefaring nations have left it light years behind."

And this is what the BBC had to say.

"...it does spell out to the world that China has the know-how and financial clout to put a crew into space."

Anyways, my fascination with space exploration came to a harsh test last week. I was at a lunch with my entire office team. It was a nice Italian place a few blocks from my office. It was quite a big group and me along with three other colleagues were seated at the end of the table which pretty much gave us the space to get into a private group conversation.

We were as usual discussing the current happenings in the world. Our chief discussion being the earthquake in South Asia. The topics then turned towards developmental issues, politics and ofcourse whatever was going on with the Katrina victims.

And then I passed an innocuous comment on China's second space launch and how India now needs to compete and get its act together.

And that was the last time we had a sober and civil conversation.

Immediately people took sides. I was accused of wanting to waste India's precious capital on a wasteful expense such as space exploration.

I was aghast. How could someone say something like that. For me, space exploration is by default in India's list of To Do's. It never struck me, that there would be people who would look at something so adventurous as this to be a waste of money. How un-scientific and non-visionary could one get !?

I was not going to give in so easily. And fortunately for me, one other colleague in the group was on my side. And we happily closed ranks to trounce the opposers.

If the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal had thought of sea exploration in the same way then would the UK have become the largest and most powerful empire on earth ever, I asked.

In the United States, the commercial spin-offs from the defence and space industry into the civilian areas is immense. Should'nt we too explore the positive effects of this synergy, I reasoned.

In the 1970's and 80's when India began its space program with the launch of its satellites into space, a crowd of people with similar beliefs and ideas called it a wasteful expenditure for a poor country like India where people could'nt even afford one meal a day. But today, nobody questions India's need to launch satellites into space, beamed my colleague.

Anyways, said he, India should'nt have gone Nuclear if at all this logic were applied.

Those are defence issues and India needs to defend her people, was the return volley.

What people, I questioned. The very same people who cannot afford a days meal, who dont have a roof over their head, who dont have clean drinking water or proper sanitation ? Are you saying we should build a mammoth arsenal to defend people who are dying of hunger, I blasted back.

I got an eye to eye glare for this remark, followed by a, "Do you think I am stupid ?", question. I gulped hard, smiled and beat a hasty retreat. Not because my point was off the mark, but because the question was from my client !!

I had boldly gone where probably no consultant had gone before !!

However, having made my point, I decided not to press further. The rest of the conversation was more between him and my other colleague. I was a passive listener and my only participation in the conversation were frowns, head nodes and smiles. That was good enough for me.

Anyways, my client called me into his office a couple of days back and to my surprise said he had been thinking about what I had said about space exploration a while ago.

And guess what, he agreed with me !!