Thailand insists on launching its own moon mission
Thailand will stick to its plans to send a spacecraft to the moon, a venture to be accomplished in the next seven years, according to minister of higher education, science, research and innovation, Anek Laothamatas.
However, it would be a moon orbiting mission, and not a landing.
The idea has been floated earlier in December, when Anek said that Thailand will build a spacecraft with a budget of around three billion baht ($100 million), and also produce its own high-tech satellites in a time span of about four years.
The ship will be powered by a xenon ion thruster, the same propulsion method used by NASA for interplanetary space missions, he said, adding that more details would be officially announced on January 13, 2021.
He added that Thailand would be the fifth country in Asia to send its own spacecraft to the moon, after China, India, Japan and South Korea.
“The new economy of space travel will be a way for Thailand to overcome the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and then to escape the middle-income trap, and the ministry will embrace creativity and innovation,” Anek declared.
Critics are not convinced
However, the plan has ignited much debate and skepticism on social media, particularly given the current economic problems the country is suffering from amid the Covid-19 crisis. Many commenters said that tax money could be used much better for the benefit of the nation, namely to help those most affected by the pandemic or to build better infrastructure on the ground.
Others were not sure about the scientific purpose of such a mission, since there were many similar such mission in the past by other countries. Moreover, the budget to build a spacecraft for only around $100 million seemed to low for most.
Other critics doubted the technological capability of Thai engineers of build such a spacecraft on their own, or where confused as to how such a budget space mission would alleviate the middle-income trap in the country.
Thailand will stick to its plans to send a spacecraft to the moon, a venture to be accomplished in the next seven years, according to minister of higher education, science, research and innovation, Anek Laothamatas. However, it would be a moon orbiting mission, and not a landing. The idea has been floated earlier in December, when Anek said that Thailand will build a spacecraft with a budget of around three billion baht ($100 million), and also produce its own high-tech satellites in a time span of about four years. The ship will be powered by a xenon ion thruster, the...
Thailand will stick to its plans to send a spacecraft to the moon, a venture to be accomplished in the next seven years, according to minister of higher education, science, research and innovation, Anek Laothamatas.
However, it would be a moon orbiting mission, and not a landing.
The idea has been floated earlier in December, when Anek said that Thailand will build a spacecraft with a budget of around three billion baht ($100 million), and also produce its own high-tech satellites in a time span of about four years.
The ship will be powered by a xenon ion thruster, the same propulsion method used by NASA for interplanetary space missions, he said, adding that more details would be officially announced on January 13, 2021.
He added that Thailand would be the fifth country in Asia to send its own spacecraft to the moon, after China, India, Japan and South Korea.
“The new economy of space travel will be a way for Thailand to overcome the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and then to escape the middle-income trap, and the ministry will embrace creativity and innovation,” Anek declared.
Critics are not convinced
However, the plan has ignited much debate and skepticism on social media, particularly given the current economic problems the country is suffering from amid the Covid-19 crisis. Many commenters said that tax money could be used much better for the benefit of the nation, namely to help those most affected by the pandemic or to build better infrastructure on the ground.
Others were not sure about the scientific purpose of such a mission, since there were many similar such mission in the past by other countries. Moreover, the budget to build a spacecraft for only around $100 million seemed to low for most.
Other critics doubted the technological capability of Thai engineers of build such a spacecraft on their own, or where confused as to how such a budget space mission would alleviate the middle-income trap in the country.
