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With the International Space Station (ISS) almost built, two reports from NASA and MIT have urged making India and China participants in the project. The reports recommend that human space exploration needs to be undertaken in collaboration with other countries.1
Some analysts note that the real motive for bringing China and India into the endeavour for human space exploration was primarily monetary in nature. US funding for NASA has been reduced to one per cent of its GDP, from a Cold War high of 4 per cent. Therefore, in order to reduce as well as distribute costs, NASA is proposing the involvement of countries like India and China.
The MIT report also states that there are more opportunities to pursue space exploration projects between the US and India than there are between India and China.
- 1. N. Gopal Raj, “Charting a new course for space exploration”, The Hindu, Nov 02, 2009 http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/02/stories/2009110255090900.htm