Discussions between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are actively progressing across multiple areas to deepen collaboration in human space exploration. The ongoing talks were highlighted by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher during the International Astronautical Congress 2025 in Sydney, reflecting a significant step toward joint space initiatives.

A key outcome under consideration is allowing European astronauts to live and conduct research aboard the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India’s pioneering modular space station project planned to orbit at an altitude of 400 to 450 kilometers. India aims to launch the initial BAS module by 2028, completing the entire station by 2035.

ESA and ISRO have formed working groups to draft cooperation proposals encompassing broad domains like space exploration, Earth observation, utilisation of deep space communication networks, and commercialisation aspects. These proposals will undergo a review in April 2026 to finalise cooperation details, including timelines, costs, and funding, aiming to firm up the partnership next year.

The collaboration is expected to be multifaceted, with ESA potentially contributing to scientific research programs, infrastructure development, and cargo delivery services supporting BAS assembly and operations. ESA is actively exploring sending astronauts as part of this endeavour to live and work alongside Indian counterparts, bolstering scientific advancements and operational synergy in low Earth orbit and beyond.

This partnership also builds on prior agreements, including a May 2025 Joint Statement of Intent on Human Space Exploration signed during the Global Space Exploration Conference, which outlined joint goals in astronaut training, mission implementation, and utilisation of ISS research platforms. ESA and ISRO’s cooperation on microgravity experiments aboard ISS during missions like Axiom-4 exemplifies their operational alignment and shared ambitions for space science.

This cooperation reflects a broader strategic partnership in global space exploration, positioning Europe and India as collaborative leaders leveraging shared expertise, technology, and resources amid evolving international space dynamics. It promises an expanded era of joint missions in Earth orbit and prospective lunar exploration activities, advancing mutual interests and capabilities in human spaceflight.

ISRO And ESA's joint efforts around BAS signal a new chapter of robust space collaboration, with European astronauts anticipated to live and work on India’s indigenous space station, accelerating human spaceflight science and exploration in the upcoming decade.

Based On India Today Report