Friday, October 12, 2007

Out of this world


Literally, as a Malaysian angkasawan, a Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, sometime model, flew aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft with a Russian and an American on board to the International Space Station on 10 Oct 2007.

The fare for this single return trip? A reportedly $24M (that's US$, I think). This was the deal that Malaysia made with Russia to take a space tourist, err...its first angkasawan, to outer space. His most significant space experiment to date is to fast (it is still Ramadan) and eat ethnic Malay food (sans Durians) on board a spacecraft. But of course he has more serious experiments to conduct during the 9 days he will be on board the ISS. Details of these experiments have yet to be reported.

Well, Malaysians should be proud of the occasion. Many nations would have wanted to join the outer space club. Malaysia has done it. But last heard, traveling into space is going to be a common thing. Already, the following five tourists have flown to and from the International Space Station on Soyuz spacecraft*:
  1. Dennis Tito (American): April 28 - May 6, 2001
  2. Mark Shuttleworth (South African / British): April 25 - May 5, 2002
  3. Gregory Olsen (American): October 1 - October 11, 2005
  4. Anousheh Ansari (Iranian / American): September 18 - September 29, 2006
  5. Charles Simonyi (Hungarian / American): April 7 - April 21, 2007[10]
Dr Muszaphar is but the 6th person that Russia's space program has benefited from. What can we expect of future developments in the space programme in Malaysia? Now I don't mean to be sceptical, but I would expect zero development without the help of the Russians. And why would the Russian's want to spend time developing Malaysia's space programme? Simple, either Russian Roubles or Malaysian Ringgit - millions of them.

That's almost like extorting money from the poor Malaysians for a brief moment in the Sun. It goes beyond asking whether it is worth it. It begs the question whether it is at all meaningful. It would be, if the space programme in Malaysia can develop on its own steam in the long run. But if the effort is like the bumiputra policy, which is entirely within the control of the government and has been around for over 30 years and is still not considered completed, then its space programme would not amount to much in any meaningful timeframe either. Another example is Malaysia's troubled national car project.

If this analysis is correct, then Malaysia's latest space adventure is a real waste of money, not just $24M of it. Saddled with Russian aircraft, it will have to pay Russia millions more to maintain them over the life of these aircraft - say 20 years? I wonder if Malaysia has stepped into space or into a black hole?

* Source: wikipaedia

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

PRECISELY!!! Well said pal!!! I totally agree with you!!!

When I heard there is 2 guys training to go to the space, I was like 'man... don't we have better ways to spend our money? don't we have greater problems to attend to?'

Like you've said it... What benefits do we get from this 1st Malaysian in space?! Seriously, what's the benefits?! I don't see any money being made, not to mention being spend... I don't see any of our home front problems being solve!!!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LEADERS OF MY BELOVED MALAYSIA!!! WAKE UP AND DO SOME LOGICAL STUFFS!!! WAKE UP AND BUILD THE NATION!!! NOT SPENDING OUR PEOPLE HARD EARN MONEY!!!

I would seriously see some reports on our EPF, income tax and others fund being invested and the devidents paid! We need money at this very moment, so please use the money to roll more money and build or spend on the neccessities!!! Not the space!!! Space is for the big boys!!! We definately won't benefits from the space pal...

If we really want to spend the money out of the Earth... Why not buy a land on the moon and have our flag flying proud on it? Isn't it something more to proud of?!

Sound like this space mission is a gift to the Dr. Who from the government... Is he related to anyone at all?! Why is he being send? Totally no reason to spend the money on such mission!!!

Save Proton if you have the extra cash!!! Thats our national pride!!! 20+yrs of hard work and now letting it to go to drain?!

RIDICULOUS!!!