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Journalism of Courage
The successful second manned space flight launched by China earlier this week will inevitably raise questions on whether New Delhi should or could find ways to match Beijing8217;s capabilities in a sensitive area. In answering them, India must not allow the pomp and patriotism surrounding the Chinese launch of Shenzhou VI to define its own space calculus. For China8217;s Communist rulers, the Shenzhou is not merely about advances in space science, it is about reinforcing the legitimacy of their rule through mega projects. While sounding nationalist bugles has been a long tradition in manned space programmes, such pride has often been at the expense of prudent goals.
While manned flights underline China8217;s emergence as the third force in space 8212; after America and Russia 8212; India does not necessarily have to follow. After years of spectacular and manned space programmes like the Apollo and Space Shuttle in the US, there is a continuing debate on whether those programmes should have been national priorities. The Indian plans for the Chandrayaan mission by the end of this decade, too, seem to be impelled by patriotic impulses. But our space programme has wisely chosen to avoid an emphasis on a manned space flight.
