Abdul Kalam says human life on Mars in 75 years

Hassan, Karnataka: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has suggested that an industrial complex on the moon and human habitation on Mars could become a reality within 50-75 years.

Addressing scientists after dedicating the Insat-4B communication satellite to the nation on Friday from the Indian Space Research Organisation facility at Hassan, about 200km from Bangalore, Abdul Kalam said space missions beyond earth were vital for sustaining the spirit of deep exploration.

"Such missions enable us to bring minerals and other special materials from the moon, asteroids and Mars. They will also help build infrastructure for solar power generation, industrial complexes on the moon and initiating human habitat on Mars."

This, the president added, could turn out to be true in 50-75 years. "Though these missions require large mass flow into space, they greatly enhance the space market by expanded utilisation of the core competencies built in many launch vehicles, spacecraft and ground systems."

Capital-intensive

As space exploration missions were capital-intensive, the president said space-faring nations should share the expertise of their scientists and technologists so that cost-effective space systems and technologies could be optimally utilised.

"Mankind has acquired capabilities to design, develop and deploy any type of launch vehicle, spacecraft, instrumentation and launch complex for societal and exploration missions.

"This has given rise to creation and expansion of space markets, bilateral and international space cooperation, evolution of space policies with multilateral negotiations," he said.

Abdul Kalam, who was associated with Indian space programmes and missions for over two decades, averred outer space missions and inter-planetary explorations were inevitable as the geo-synchronous orbit was almost choked with 240 satellites of many countries.