INSIGHTS
India’s Moon Lander and the Superpower Game
Recently, India landed its first rover on the surface of the moon. It’s called Chandrayaan-3. Which means “moon craft” in Sanskrit.
Fourteen hours later, the Chandrayaan-3’s rover rolled out and, said India’s space agency, “took a walk around.” But, unlike America’s rovers on Mars, which keep on trucking for up to 15 years, Chandrayaan-3’s rover is only built to explore for two weeks. That’s one lunar day. Then, when lunar night comes, the rover will run out of batteries and shut down.
The success of the Chandrayaan-3 makes India only the fourth country to successfully land on the moon—behind the USA, Russia, and China. What’s more, India developed and built this lander for only $73 million dollars. NASA’s upcoming VIPER rover won’t reach the moon until 2024 or later and will cost nearly half a billion dollars. Which means for the price of one American lunar lander, India can build six.
More important, the Chandrayaan-3 is the first spacecraft ever to land on a strategic sweet spot, the moon’s south pole. Why is the moon’s south pole coveted by China, Russia, and by the United States?
Because it has water. And India was the first country to detect that water. Water it spotted with its first vehicle to orbit the moon, Chandrayaan 1, way back in 2008.
Water is the gold of space. It can be mined and broken down to drinkable water, to breathable oxygen, and to rocket fuel. That’s why NASA administrator Bill Nelson says that we are in a space race with China for the lunar south pole’s resources.
Nelson says he fears that if China can establish a presence on the moon’s south pole before we do, Beijing could repeat what it pulled off in the South China Sea.
Ten years ago, China began building islands and expanding reefs in the South China Sea, a body of water whose segments were claimed by five other nations. Beijing swore that these new islands were for peaceful purposes.
Then China built military bases with runways for bombers and fighter jets on the islands and claimed the South China Sea as its own. All 1.16 million square miles of it. Complete with the oil beneath the surface.
Now NASA’s Nelson is afraid that China will attempt to do the same thing with the south pole of the moon.
India’s landing at the moon’s south pole may complicate that Chinese aim. After all, one of the main purposes of this audacious Indian mission is not just to do science. It’s to advance India’s claim to world leadership. Or, as CNN put it, it’s to “cement India’s status as a global superpower in space.”
That use of the Chandrayaan-3 moon landing became clear at a global summit conference in South Africa Wednesday morning. That summit was a meeting of heads of state of the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—in Johannesburg. The BRICS formation is designed to sap strength from the United States and the Western Alliance and to increase the power of an alliance that includes Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Venezuela, and Cuba. An alliance of autocrats. An alliance that despises “Western liberal values.”
Vladimir Putin, one of the two top BRICS leaders along with China’s Xi Jinping, was faced with a humiliation. He was not able to attend in person. He is a fugitive from the International Criminal Court for committing war crimes. Because South Africa is a member of the International Criminal Court, it would be forced to arrest Putin and send him to the Hague in Holland for trial if he showed up. So the Russian leader was forced to appear on videotape.
But Putin had an ace up his sleeve. A way to demonstrate his power. Russia’s Luna 25 was due to land on the moon four days ago, Monday, August 21st, the day before the start of the summit. It would have been Russia’s first lunar landing in 47 years. And it would have been a coup.
But last Saturday, the rockets positioning the Russian lunar lander for descent misfired and Russia’s Luna 25 crashed into the moon’s surface. Then this morning, India’s Chandrayaan-3 pulled off a perfect landing. Thus one-upping Putin.
The landing was broadcast live on TV in India. That landing allowed India’s prime minister Narendra Modi to ostentatiously take time off from the summit and to go on a TV link back to India saying, “I’m confident that all countries in the world, including those from the global south, are capable of achieving such feats. We can all aspire to the moon and beyond.”
Thus showing off Modi’s prominence in the BRIC partnership and making a play for leadership of the global south—the 78 underdog countries who are not major powers.
References:
https://twitter.com/isro/status/1694545322251571687
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chandrayaan-3-makes-historic-touchdown-on-the-moon/
https://www.space.com/india-chandrayaan-3-moon-landing-success
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/23/science/chandrayaan-3-india-moon-landing.html
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/08/23/science/india-moon-landing-chandrayaan-3
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/world/asia/india-chandrayaan-3-moon-landing-space.html
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/23/world/chandrayaan-3-lunar-landing-attempt-scn
https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/overview/
https://spacenews.com/viper-lunar-rover-mission-cost-increases/
https://www.planetary.org/articles/water-on-the-moon-guide
https://www.reuters.com/world/key-facts-about-brics-2023-summit-2023-08-07/
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Howard Bloom of the Howard Bloom Institute has been called the Einstein, Newton, and Freud of the 21st century by Britain’s Channel 4 TV. One of his seven books–Global Brain—was the subject of a symposium thrown by the Office of the Secretary of Defense including representatives from the State Department, the Energy Department, DARPA, IBM, and MIT. His work has been published in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Psychology Today, and the Scientific American. He does news commentary at 1:06 am Eastern Time every Wednesday night on 545 radio stations on Coast to Coast AM. For more, see http://howardbloom.institute.
COP must evolve with the times, or go down the abyss of irrelevancy.
COP 30 lands in Belém, a vulnerable Amazon city, Nov 10–21, 2025. The host nation hopes to spotlight deforestation, Indigenous rights, and climate inequity. Brazil plans to launch the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)—a proposed $125 billion blended‑finance fund to reward forest conservation.
What’s at risk
- Affordability crisis: Belém has ~18,000 hotel beds for ~45,000 expected attendees. Room rates surged to $700–$2,000/night. Developing nations may be shut out.) Brazil has deployed cruise ships and capped rates for poorer countries—but gaps remain.
- Credibility gap: A new highway cutting through protected rainforest (Avenida Liberdade) contradicts the summit’s conservation message—even though officials deny federal involvement.
- Fossil fuel influence: COP media deal awarded to PR firm Edelman, which also represents Shell—sparking conflict concerns.
Why it may just “kick the can”
- Progress stalled in Bonn: Critical texts—like the Just Transition Work Programme and the Gender Action Plan—are underpowered, with weakening language on Indigenous and gender justice. Negotiations postponed to Belém.
- Ambitious goals, low political will: The annual climate finance scale-up roadmap to $1.3 trillion by 2035 lacks binding commitments. Most countries’ updated NDCs remain underwhelming.
- Logistical chaos: Thousands of civil society, women groups, and youth may be excluded by cost and infrastructure constraints, undermining representation.
Why it still matters
- Location is symbolic: Holding COP in the Amazon aims to humanize climate action, not sanitize it in luxury venues.
- TFFF could deliver: If fully funded by COP or 2026, the forest conservation fund could redefine climate finance.
- Health in focus: A WHO-led Climate & Health conference in Brasília is shaping a Health Action Plan for COP, embedding public health in climate policy.
Bottom line
COP 30 has the potential for impact—but so far, optics risk overshadowing outcomes. High costs, diluted ambition, fossil-fuel influence, and delayed mechanisms could make Belém another kickoff, not a game changer. Unless financial pledges and rights-centered action materialize, COP 30 may merely defer real climate solutions to the next summit.
As people in America–and worldwide–are rethinking their residencies, Brazil offers a unique opportunity.
Why it matters
Brazil’s investor visa (VIPER), launched in 2018 and expanded in 2025, offers straight to permanent residency, family inclusion, and a path to citizenship in ~4 years. Designed to attract foreign capital, it’s one of Latin America’s most competitive options.
✅ Pros
- Low investment threshold: BRL 700K (~USD 140K) in the North/Northeast; BRL 1 M (~USD 200K) in other regions.
- Fast processing: Approval typically in 3–6 months.
- Minimal stay requirement: Spend just ~14 days every 2 years in Brazil to maintain residency.(
- Path to citizenship: Apply after 4 years of residency; dual nationality allowed.
- Family included: Spouse and dependents can join under the same investment.
- Access to MERCOSUR: Freedom to live/work across South America and access public services locally.
❌ Cons & caveats
- Capital-intensive: Though cheaper than many EU programs, still requires upfront investment.
- Low liquidity: Must hold qualifying property or business for residency status.
- Complex documentation: Must transfer funds through formal Brazilian banks; property deed must be fully registered.
- Tax implications: Residents become Brazilian tax-liable; must file global income.
- Risk & bureaucracy: Mistakes in property purchase or application can lead to denial.
⚙️ How it works
- Choose investment route:
- Real estate: BRL 1M (~USD 200K), or BRL 700K in North/Northeast.
- Business investment: As low as BRL 150K (~USD 30K) if it creates jobs or invests in tech.
- Acquire property or company with clean title in urban region.
- Transfer funds via central‑bank‑approved channels.
- Apply via MigrantWeb and attend a brief visit (~30 days in-country).
- Receive temp residency (2–4 years), then upgrade to permanent if holding the investment.
- Citizenship after residency plus Portuguese proficiency and clean record.
Real-world impact
- Stimulates foreign investment into Brazilian real estate and startups.
- Helps diversify global mobility: Dual citizens gain visa-free access to ~171 countries.
- Competitive edge: Lower thresholds than Spain, Portugal, and others, with faster timelines and better climate
Who should consider it
- Remote workers or retirees seeking affordable residency in Latin America
- Investors looking for second passports or access to Mercosur markets
- Entrepreneurs or families seeking global mobility and alternate residency options
Bottom line
Brazil’s Golden Visa isn’t just another residency-by-investment program—it’s a strategic gateway to permanent residency, citizenship, and regional access, at competitive cost and with minimal residency obligations.
Whether you’re buying property in Recife or launching a startup in São Paulo, Brazil offers a forward-facing bridge for global citizens—without the EU price tag.
America’s public media system is stuck in a time warp — built for a world that no longer exists.
Back then…
When the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was founded in 1967, there was:
- ❌ No internet
- ❌ No YouTube
- ❌ No MP3s or MP4s
- ❌ No smartphones
- ❌ No TikTok, file sharing, livestreams, or global DIY distribution
NPR, PBS, and local community stations were born in the age of vinyl and rabbit ears — and many still operate like it’s 1975.
The old model
- Broadcast licenses → transmit radio/TV signals
- Federal subsidies + pledge drives → fund operations
- Audience = passive receivers
All built for one-to-many media when the internet has made everyone a node.
The new reality
Welcome to media in motion:
- Creators self-distribute across platforms
- Real-time news spreads peer-to-peer
- Audiences expect participation, not programming
- Livestreams, podcasts, and video-on-demand rule attention
It’s horse and buggy vs the electric car, and too much of public media is still shoveling hay.
Why it matters
| Then | Now |
|---|---|
| Top-down | Peer-to-peer |
| Static schedules | On-demand, everywhere |
| Centralized stations | Decentralized communities |
| Annual pledge drives | Micro-giving, crowdfunding, subscriptions |
We can’t build the future with our minds in the past. Yet too much of public media clings to legacy systems, dated org charts, and siloed content.
What’s being lost
- Entire generations under 40 have no relationship with public radio or TV
- Community voices, diverse stories, and local impact are drowned out by outdated delivery
- Opportunity for global collaboration, multilingual content, and co-creation is missed
Public media could be a participatory ecosystem — but instead, it’s often a museum exhibit of what media used to be.
What’s next
✅ Shift from broadcast to networked ecosystems
✅ Enable community-owned media nodes
✅ Train creators in digital-first storytelling
✅ Embrace open-source, global collaboration
✅ Reimagine the CPB as a commons infrastructure, not a broadcast subsidy
Bottom line
We don’t do that anymore.
Public media must evolve—or become irrelevant. This is not business as usual. It’s time to flip the script—before the last station fades to static.
