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India is preparing to launch its first lunar mission. The launch will send an unmanned research craft to orbit the moon. The BBC’s Tinku Ray reports on final preparations for tomorrow’s launch.
Excitement is growing at the launchpad for all of India’s space mission. The country’s first lunar mission has already been postponed once but this time it looks to be on time for the Wednesday launch. The $100 million dollar project is an international project. Some of the gear will help map the moon’s surface and carry out a search for signs of water. The associate director at the space center says even though the moon has been well studied, this trip will be unprecedented in its thoroughness. This mission will be the India’s first beyond the earth’s orbit, although India has already launched many satellites into earth’s orbit. This educator hopes Indian children will be star struck. This analyst believes this launch shows how far India’s space program has come, despite a lack of funding. This analyst says this is an indication that India has arrived, but there’s no space race with China and things are turning more towards global cooperation when it comes to space. In the meantime, India will continue with its mission to put a man on the moon by 2014.