*(((They'll be taking their time, but I'm betting they pull this one off.
They're not gonna sit there watching the Chinese launch taikonauts and brag to the world about it while they do nothing.)))
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200611071540.htm
Sci. & Tech.
Indian scientists favour manned space mission
Bangalore, Nov. 7 (PTI): Top scientists and technologists here today strongly favoured a proposal to undertake a manned mission into space that would catapult India into a select group of nations with such a capability.
At a national consultative meeting convened by the Indian Space Research Organisation to "crystallise and converge" on the issue, participants "overwhelmingly and very positively" supported the proposal, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair told PTI.
ISRO is in a position to undertake the manned mission in eight years. Nair said the estimated cost of such a mission would be in the region of Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore.
Nair made a presentation to a gathering of 80 scientists and technologists, including those from ISRO, HAL and NAL and those associated with space technologies, and detailed studies conducted by the organisation in this context.
"All of them were supportive of the idea," Nair said. "There was absolute unanimity on the issue. Everyone feels it's a logical step."
