<p>A high profile body like the parliamentary committee is expected to know the basics of the subjects and domains it oversees.<br /><br /></p>.<p>But the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology, Environment and Forests, which visited the Isro Satellite Integration and Testing Establishment (ISITE) here on Wednesday, was completely at a loss about India’s space programmes and the recent Mars mission.<br /><br />Committee chairman T Subbarami Reddy, in conversation with Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan at ISITE, asked him, ”What is the life span of the Mars orbiter? Isro chairman replied, “six months”. Reddy said, ”What? Only six months? I thought it would last six years. Very sad, I am very sad that it will live only six months.” The chairman replied, “We have fuel only for six months.” <br /><br />Another committee member asked, “Will it die after that? Will it plunge into water? Will it burn?” The Isro chairman responded that it would become part of space debris.<br /><br /></p>
<p>A high profile body like the parliamentary committee is expected to know the basics of the subjects and domains it oversees.<br /><br /></p>.<p>But the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology, Environment and Forests, which visited the Isro Satellite Integration and Testing Establishment (ISITE) here on Wednesday, was completely at a loss about India’s space programmes and the recent Mars mission.<br /><br />Committee chairman T Subbarami Reddy, in conversation with Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan at ISITE, asked him, ”What is the life span of the Mars orbiter? Isro chairman replied, “six months”. Reddy said, ”What? Only six months? I thought it would last six years. Very sad, I am very sad that it will live only six months.” The chairman replied, “We have fuel only for six months.” <br /><br />Another committee member asked, “Will it die after that? Will it plunge into water? Will it burn?” The Isro chairman responded that it would become part of space debris.<br /><br /></p>
