The Chandrayaan-1 mission has been accomplished in a cost-effective manner and, in fact, of the Rs.386 crore earmarked for the project Rs.82 lakh has been saved, said Mayilsamy Annadurai, Project Director, Chandrayaan 1 and 2.
When compared with other lunar missions around the world, the expenditure incurred on Chandrayaan-1 is 80 million US Dollars, whereas that of Japan (Selene mission) cost Rs.480 million US Dollars, Europe (Smart) 75 million Euros and of China (Chang'e) 187 million US Dollars, Mr. Annadurai said.
He was addressing the gathering of students at the School of Engineering and Technology, run by the Surya Group of Institutions, at Vikkravandi near here on Saturday.
From the beginning it was the conscious efforts of the scientists that the people's money should be put to use in a prudent and productive manner. The expenditure incurred on the Chandrayaan-1 could be easily recovered or recouped if the 750 million-odd cell-phone customers in the country withhold sending a single Short Messaging Service (SMS) each.
Moreover it had brought many spin-off benefits as the technology adopted in the Chandrayaan-1 could be applied on the ground for divining water and tracing mineral resources.
After going around the Moon for 10 times the Chandrayaan-1 was the first to declare to the world the presence of frozen water on the Moon. It had also provided the logical extension to the Chandrayaan-2 project and demonstrated international cooperation with India playing the lead.
It had earned appreciation of the international community that had come to recognise India as one of the leading space-faring nations.
When he visited the Boston Control Centre in the US, the cherished destination of all the space scientists, he was astonished to see the cut-out carrying his portrait welcoming him.
Now, the entire world was keenly listening to the Indian space scientists and watching its space missions.
Mr. Annadurai said that the genesis of the Chandrayaan that took shape in May 1999 came to fruition after nine years in November 2008, because it had to pass through several stages such as perusal by the National Task Force, Parliamentary Standing Committee before getting the final nod of the Prime Minister.
But he could get the approval for the Chandrayaan-2 mission within two weeks after submission of the blueprint. Unlike the earlier mission that sent the Moon “impactor” the Chandrayaan-2 would be a Moon “lander” mission.
The simulated drawing programme was on and the launch of Chandrayaan-2 would happen in 2013.
To a query of this correspondent as to when an Indian will land on the Moon Mr. Annadurai said that it could be done only step by step.
P. Gauthama Sigamani, chairman of the Surya Group of Institutions, and S. Santhi, director, also spoke.
