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The Indian Space Research Organisation has constituted a Moon Mission Task Force to study the technical feasibility of various scientific proposals and determine realistic and optimum mission objectives, the parliamentary standing committee attached to the department of space said in its latest report.
The department should obtain technological superiority to develop the capability of sending a lunar mission, but not for any fancy the moon has traditionally held for human beings, the report said.
"After all what did America gain by sending Neil Armstrong to the moon in 1969? What have we gained in conducting, for that matter, the Pokharan tests? Have we not spent taxpayer's money on these programmes?" the committee remarked.
A lunar mission would provide food for thought to scientists and improve the country's technological capability, it said, adding that space remains a matter of curiosity for scientists and they continue to explore it by spending millions and millions of the taxpayer's money.
Perhaps this is happening to find out whether there is life on other planets and if so in what form, the committee noted. Besides, there is a need to find out whether habitation is feasible on other planets, it added.
PTI
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