US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti announced that NASA will give advanced training to Indian astronauts for a joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS) this year or soon after. He made this announcement at the “US-India Commercial Space Conference: Unlocking Opportunities for US & Indian Space Startups” held in Bengaluru.
“NASA will soon provide advanced training to Indian astronauts, aiming for a joint mission to the International Space Station, hopefully this year or shortly thereafter, as promised by our leaders,” Garcetti said.
He also mentioned the upcoming launch of the NISAR satellite from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Center. This satellite will monitor various resources like ecosystems, the Earth’s surface, natural hazards, sea level rise, and the cryosphere.
NISAR is a project where NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) work together to observe Earth.
Garcetti mentioned that both countries work together closely, like in the Artemis Accords, which help nations explore space safely.
The Artemis Accords are a set of rules for countries to follow when exploring the moon and beyond.
The event in Bengaluru lasted all day and had senior officials from the US and Indian governments, like Garcetti, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr. S Somanath, and representatives from NASA, NOAA, and the Indian government. Also attending were leaders from the commercial space industry, business stakeholders, investors, and market experts.
Somnath praised the leaders of India and the US for their vision in making an agreement that sees the moon as a place where we can all work together sustainably.
He also mentioned how the connection between Indian and US partners in important technologies, especially in space, is getting stronger. He’s happy about this engagement and the opportunities it brings for US businesses to connect with India in the growing space industry.
USIBC president Atul Keshap expressed hope about the future of US-India cooperation in space, calling it a new chapter in their partnership. He mentioned that this week has been productive, with USIBC and USCS working together to promote two important space initiatives.
Keshap said, “The conference shows how closely our two free countries work together in leading space exploration and innovation. With strategic partnerships and teamwork, we’re close to reaching amazing goals and exploring space in ways we never thought possible.”
The US-India Commercial Space Conference highlights the need to build strong partnerships to boost innovation and advance the space industry,” said USIBC managing director Alexander Slater.
“This marks the next phase of USIBC’s ongoing commitment to encourage cooperation between top companies and startups from both countries, creating new opportunities for economic growth, job opportunities, and technological advancement,” he said.
At the same time, senior defense officials from India and the US met in Washington to discuss ways to strengthen space cooperation and find areas where collaboration with American industry could happen.
During the second annual US-India Advanced Domains Defence Dialogue (AD3), the officials talked about various ways they could work together.
Vipin Narang, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for Space Policy, led the American team, while Vishwesh Negi, India’s Joint Secretary for International Cooperation, led the Indian team.
Narang and Negi discussed how they could improve space cooperation and find areas where they could work with US industry, according to Department of Defence Spokesperson Cmdr. Jessica Anderson.
At this year’s Dialogue, Narang and Negi also led the first US-India principal-level discussion to explore ways to boost cooperation in space. They agreed to keep working on AD3 through regular group discussions.
The Indian delegation also met with officials from the US Space Command, the Joint Commercial Operations Cell, and experts in artificial intelligence from across the US Department of Defence, Anderson added.