For all mankind

Over 60 years ago, Moscow launched a beach ball-sized aluminium satellite, Sputnik 1, into space for the first time in history. Its beep radio signal kicked off the space race between the Soviet Union and America at the height of the Cold War. When US astronaut Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon, his small step became “one giant leap for mankind”.

Last December, Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Anek Laothamatas unveiled a plan for Thailand to go to the Moon in seven years. His ambition sowed public doubt, but the first space tech programme officially took off in April. Five small satellites are in the pipeline. While the first one will lift off to survey the Earth in 2023, the last one will fly to the Moon’s orbit by 2027.

Local scientists have made headway in the final frontier. Last…