OutSourced: The Space Version

India recently successfully reassered it's "Space Power" status by launching and placing a commercial satellite in the orbit (news link). India has an established space program, with some of the best-in-business hi-res remote sensing, weather, telecom, educational, and - I would hope spy - satellites. For a long period of time, India's Space agency - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) - has launched India's own satellites very successfully and efficiently. ISRO's rockets have also, in fact, carried satellites for other nations up in to the space earlier, but it was a not-for-profit endeavor.

Last week, India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carried an Italian astronomical Satellite, with clinical accuray and picture perfect launch. All that comes with the well known "India advantage" - great service at a fraction of cost! India already is very well known in the western world as THE destination for outsourcing of business processes for cost cutting, increased efficiency, and high performance. Just ask Dell, they'll tell you. Or, IBM. Or, Google. Or, Microsoft. Or, Accenture. Well, you get the idea.

Now that India's ready to do commercial satellite launches and is ready to compete against the US by offering cost-effective satellite launch options, there are many jokes here in the US about "outsourcing" space science to India, just as it happened with IT. One such joke - from Slashdot's discussion page - caught my attention, and here I produce it:

International Space Station: "Houston, we have a problem."

New Delhi: "Hello, please spell your name and give me your complete customer ID."

Go India!