India just landed on the Moon for less than it cost to make Interstellar | The Independent::undefined

237 points

Why is this even a comparison? India only went to the moon, interstellar had to go to other freaking solar systems and a black hole to make their documentary!

permalink
report
reply
51 points

With humans aswell and robots!

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

Robots with feelings! Do you know how many consecutive milestones they nailed?

permalink
report
parent
reply
92 points

Cool.

The average income in India is 25x ish less than that of the US. If we scale the $75 million cost to land on the moon by 25 times, we get $1.8 billion. The Perseverance rover’s cost is estimated at $2.75 billion and that thing landed on Mars.

It’s incredibly impressive that India has landed on the moon on their 2nd try. Nothing should take away from that, and India should be very proud of their achievement. But geez this is a braindead article. Yes, poorer countries can pay people less do the same amount of work as someone in another country.

permalink
report
reply
48 points

I respectfully disagree with you. It’s a bit misleading to compare average incomes like that. I would assume the income disparity is nowhere near as large for valuable scientists and engineers working for a national space program. In addition, you are only comparing labour costs. Some materials can be cheaper in India, but certainly not by a factor of 25 and certainly not all of them. Therefore, I wouldn’t say the article is braindead.

permalink
report
parent
reply
24 points
*
Deleted by creator
permalink
report
parent
reply
24 points
*
Deleted by creator
permalink
report
parent
reply
20 points
*
Deleted by creator
permalink
report
parent
reply
8 points

This comparison is predicated on every part of the manufacturing process occurring in each country. As soon as India are buying parts from other countries they’re not paying India prices anymore

permalink
report
parent
reply
3 points

Some guy at NASA: “We estimate that the cost of this part should cost 1.8Million dollars. “

Some guy in India: “You know, my cousin can make that part for 35 dollars”

permalink
report
parent
reply
-7 points
Deleted by creator
permalink
report
parent
reply
76 points

These titles are dumb.

“NASA’s 1969 moon landing was with a computer that can’t even power Doom!”

permalink
report
reply
27 points

Did you know scientists created ways to use crabs as logic gates?

Someone calculated we need about 8 billion crabs in order to run Doom.

permalink
report
parent
reply
13 points

Now that is scientific fact. There’s no real evidence for it, but it is scientific fact.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

That’s a crab fact.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

Now you’re talking Nonce Sense.

permalink
report
parent
reply
11 points

Pretty sure that was the amount to store the files for the game, not actually run it.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

They did surgery on a grape

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point
*
Deleted by creator
permalink
report
parent
reply
42 points

Aside from different approaches I think the biggest factor is salary difference. Still impressive though a good example for other Asian nations.

permalink
report
reply
27 points

Modern US space projects are also basically welfare programs for aerospace companies.

permalink
report
parent
reply
40 points

Yeah but interstellar went to a black hole and back

permalink
report
reply

Technology

!technology@lemmy.world

Create post

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots


Community stats

  • 18K

    Monthly active users

  • 12K

    Posts

  • 553K

    Comments