BANGALORE: A robotic arm sent to the moon to do some sample analysis? That is what Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is dreaming to do in space exploration next.

"It is only a dream at this stage. If it takes off at all, it will take time to fructify," Isro chairman G Madhavan Nair tells Indiantelevision.com on the sidelines of an international conference on planetary exploration and space law in Bangalore.

The project, according to Nair, will cost around Rs 10-15 billion. That is almost three to four times the expense of the `Chandrayaan-1' mission to moon project, which Isro has slated for 2007-08. "But it is possible. We will need the support of the scientific community and the government," Nair says.

ISRO's cost-effective space exploration projects have come in for praise even from overseas. "I am amazed at the low cost operations of Isro. For a mission to the moon project, US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) spends around $12.5 billion. Isro does it for less than $one billion," says a Nasa observer.

The Astronautical Society of India (ASI), in association with International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), is organising a twin-event - IAA Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on "Advances in Planetary Exploration" and the IISL Space Law Conference - 2005 on "Bringing Space Benefits to the Asian region" at Bangalore during 26-29 June.