The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has recently launched its Mars mission. The ISRO scientists have almost been drowned in tributes and compliments. The Prime Minister called it a “historic achievement”, Sonia Gandhi described it as an “outstanding scientific feat” – and even Chinese state-run media raged about how India is overtaking China in the space race. There are a few who aren’t over the moon at the news of the Mars mission, though. Civil society activist Harsh Mander and economist Jean Dreze raised questions over the cost of the mission and the point of spending money on space exploration in a country that cannot feed all of its poor.

The naysayers and the cheerleaders both seemed to have missed the point entirely though.

The reality is that ISRO has managed to put a satellite into Earth orbit, an accomplishment while admittedly complex isn’t exactly groundbreaking. Mangalyaan has only just begun its long journey to Mars.  Which is not to say that it won’t make it, but there are numerous aspects which could go wrong between now and next September, when it is expected to reach Mars orbit. China and Japan had similar missions that went horribly awry after spending significantly more time and money. The much-vaunted Chandrayaan mission as well, had significant attention showered on it at launch which eventually faded away. The fact that it failed to meet design requirements is barely known among the general public.

Amitabha Ghosh, an Indian-born scientist who worked on NASA’s latest Mars mission, made the point that India should have devoted more time and resources to making the long-awaited GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) operational, rather than hastily setting off to Mars on whatever rocket was handy. Its payload, a mere 15kg, is tiny compared to an equivalent European orbiter, which has a payload of 116kg. “With a minuscule methane sensor, even if you want to look at methane, it cannot be done”, says Madhavan Nair, the ex-chief of ISRO.

The quest for methane is not the point of Mangalyaan. There is a particularly significant quote from the ISRO chairman, K Radhakrishnan. He describes the mission as “85% tech demonstration, 15% scientific quest”. Mangalyaan is an advertisement, designed to demonstrate ISRO’s ability to launch spacecraft at a fraction of the cost of other space agencies. The seemingly ridiculous time frame and budget of the mission are its biggest selling points. To put things into perspective, India’s Mission to Mars cost a whole $28 million less than Brian De Palma’s Mission to Mars, which is a film.

And therein lies the answer to the mission’s critics as well. Antrix, ISRO’s commercial wing is a ₹ 950 crore company that generated over ₹ 100 crore in profit every year between 2006 and 2010 which led to the government conferring “Miniratna” status on it. The Mangalyaan launch will put Antrix’s current launch capabilities in a prominent place in the shop window, thereby enabling it to acquire more clients and contracts.

ISRO is not burning public funds as has been suggested by some, but rather adding to it by generating profits through Antrix. But it isn’t on the cutting-edge of space exploration as others would like to believe. As Amitabha Ghosh put it, “if successful, Mangalyaan will replicate what NASA accomplished in the 1960s and 1970s”. The cost at which they’ve executed the mission would make ISRO the first port of call for developing nations looking to put satellites in the skies.

Time to see the mission for what it is – a slightly flamboyant public relations tool for ISRO and Antrix. One which will ensure more funds come into Antrix and ISRO and establish India as a low-cost hub for space exploration.