26 June 2004	Saturday	07 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

NEW DELHI, June 25: Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said on Friday he visualized an Indo-US team establishing a habitat on Mars by 2050.

Addressing the Indo-US Space Meet in Bangalore through a video-conference, he said that the moment was opportune for both nations to work together and launch universal mission.

President Kalam, a former space scientist, suggested a five-point mission to the scientists. They should bring down the cost of per kilogramme launch of payload, reduce the spacecraft weight substantially and ensure that benefits of space research reached the six billion world population by providing it with safe drinking water, shelter, food and education.

Mr Kalam was quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying that in 10 years NASA and Indian space scientists and technologists together with geologists would be capable of predicting an earthquake at least a week ahead.

The president said he visualized in 2050 an Indo-US team establishing a habitat on Mars, setting up mining industrial units in space and working on a joint programme to destroy or deviate asteroids when the earth is endangered.-J.N