Washington DC
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson highlighted the expanding space collaboration between India and the United States, emphasizing efforts to advance the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) during his recent social media update. Nelson mentioned ongoing joint efforts with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), including plans for an ISRO astronaut to join a mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). While specifics of the mission are being finalized, Nelson underscored that these initiatives will support future human spaceflight and benefit life on Earth.
Following his visit to India last year, Nelson praised India for the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission and reaffirmed NASA’s commitment to enhancing cooperation in space exploration. Recently, India and the US convened the second meeting of the iCET initiative in New Delhi, with National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Jake Sullivan participating. A significant outcome of this meeting was the agreement on a Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation, aimed at deepening interoperability in space and initiating advanced training for ISRO astronauts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
This collaboration marks a historic milestone as NASA prepares to train two Indian astronauts, with one scheduled to travel to the ISS later this year. Additionally, both nations are preparing to launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), a satellite crucial for global climate change monitoring and other environmental challenges. Furthermore, India and the US are exploring opportunities to participate in NASA’s Lunar Gateway Programme, which promises advancements in lunar surface missions and deep-space exploration.
