vishwakarmaa wrote:
ISRO from its inception has focused more on practical purposes of space programmes than going after public all the time, like NASA does.
NASA's motives and aims are much different. They have a responsibility to showcase/market their programme to the world so America can claim world leadership. ISRO is quite different since it never tried to waste money on marketing.
If ISRO's aim was publicity then, taking a video recorder on CY-1 was actually easier than integrating a monochrome one.
So, how many countries today benefit from useless goliath like NASA? Does it share its data with poor countries? Or, it keeps technologies to its greedy chest? If you compare ISRO and NASA, then I think ISRO is more open-minded about sharing its technology with others and more practical with choice of its programmes creating a sensible balance between strategic objectives and scientific programmes.
Look at the constant arguments that NASA has to make before politicians, in order to secure the funding that is their bread and butter.
You may naively think that ISRO is immune to having to do this, but you'll see that public support is very necessary in the pursuit of such high capital endeavours like space exploration.
Look at the sudden outcry after the Chandrayaan-1 mission abort, with every crooked little luddite crawling out of the woodwork to opportunistically screech that the whole mission was a waste of money. Even in spite of the great example set by the Soviets in space endeavours, our crooked Indian communist politicians have instead tried to twist the debate by claiming that "colonization of space is still colonialism"
ISRO people are now scrambling to make improvements to their systems, even as they enlist foreign scientists to come out and parrot the identical mantra that "95% of goals were completed"
(It's amazing how everyone is parroting the exact same phrases, as if from a single prepared text)
Big high-cost undertakings like space exploration require steady public support. And the public is fickle - that's especially true for India. Public support does not come from merely showing people plotgraphs and charts. Yes, you need to inspire people with colour pictures, colour video, soundbites ("One small step for a man...") - and yes, there should even be mass-merchandising. Parents should be able to buy a plastic GSLV for their kids.
Why do people take pictures or videos at weddings and other important events? They want something to preserve that moment. A picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a thousand plotgraphs - especially if it's in colour.
Indian politicians are famous for throwing any important interest under a bus when the political mood strikes them. In order to buffer itself against such political volatility, ISRO needs to cultivate popular support through good marketing, to build up a reserve of public goodwill. Otherwise, they will always be running around in a panic anytime a mission failure occurs, for fear their funding jugular will be cut.
I'm not saying that ISRO needs to have a marching band playing at their launch events. I'm just saying that there are certain emotionally appealing aspects of space missions that can be shared with the public, such as the wonderful sights and sounds of space launches, in order to make a connection with the public, and to have this important work resonate with them. Otherwise, for every space launch we will always be treated to the usual articles that come out about shouldn't the time, money and effort be better spent on helping some old lady wipe her bottom.