A comparison of the contribution of Indian and other cultures to space exploration from antiquity to the present
- Paper number
IAC-09.E5.4.6
- Author
Prof. Mudambi Ananthasayanam, Indian Institute of Science, India
- Year
2009
- Abstract
Ancient astronomy is a precursor to many of the present day science and technology and in particular to the exploration of space. An earlier study of the history and philosophy of the contribution of India towards the exploration of space since antiquity provided interesting insights. Similarly the present paper deals with the contributions of other cultures and compares them during the three periods which appears to be convenient and natural in terms of the rapidity of the progress that has been occurring namely (i) from 10000 BC up to 900 AD, (ii) the centuries from 900 AD to 1900 AD, and (iii) the decades from 1900 AD to the present called mythological, medieval, and modern respectively. Some lead events and achievements during the above periods provide a reference view of the progress. Next a comparison between the Indian and other contributions is made. Such a comparison during the first period shows that the Indian Vedic naked eye astronomy was ahead of other cultures and contribution of the Babylonian, Greek cultures. The ubiquitous epicycle shows both the possible exchange and the independence of the approaches. Also the Indian astronomers were updating their planetary parameters characterizing the movement of the sun, moon, and other naked eye visible planets from about the later part of the mythological period up to about the middle of the medieval period that had no counterpart in other cultures. But the Indian astronomers continued and content to answer the question ‘How?’ rather than ‘Why?’ This limited question, the invention of the telescope, the Newtonian mechanics, the foreign invasion and occupation in the later part of the medieval period led to the loss of the lead enjoyed by the Indian contribution in astronomy. The first half of the modern period saw the relatively slow renaissance of Indian contribution to astronomy and space exploration. After independence the Indian contribution has improved both in the science and the technology of space exploration to the extent that there is cooperation and commercialization with other countries.
- Abstract document
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