The importance of states in space missions

Source: The post is based on the article “The importance of states in space missions” published in “The Hindu” on 28th August 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Awareness in the fields of Space.

News: The article talks about how countries with fewer resources have achieved big space milestones. It highlights the importance of people, government help, and teamwork between public and private sectors.

How have countries with limited resources achieved significant space milestones?

Human Resources: Countries like China, India, and Russia emphasized science and technology education. Large populations meant more potential scientists and engineers. Like, China filed the most patents globally in 2019.

Prioritizing Science: These countries prioritized science and technology post-war or post-colonial. For instances, China, Russia, and India laid a lot of importance on science and technology in their post-war/post-colonial development trajectory.

State Role: An active state plays a crucial part in space exploration. Though the private space industry is growing, it is still only governments that have enabled spacecrafts to land on the moon.

Collaboration Model: In 2022, the head of the Emirates Mars Mission, Omran Sharif, stressed the importance of the “triple helix model”, where the government, the private sector, and academics worked together

Cost Efficiency: Achieving goals at a lower cost can attract global attention and business. For example,  ISRO’s ability to launch satellites at low costs.

Global Partnerships: Collaborating with other countries can bridge resource gaps. Like, UAE launched its Mars probe with Japan’s help.

What are the major criticisms of the space program?

Resource Diversion: Concerns arise that developing economies divert valuable resources from pressing developmental needs to space programs.

Developmental Needs: Critics argue that issues like poverty should be prioritized over ambitious space missions.

Selective Criticism: The objections seem directed mostly at developing economies, implying developed nations have no pressing internal issues.

What should be done?

State-Market Partnership: Foster true collaboration between the state and private sectors to drive innovation.

Harness Knowledge: Utilize insights from space missions to contribute to human progress.

Inclusive Governance: Establish an inclusive and secular state focused on genuine human development.