US Ambassador Sergio Gor met ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan on Monday to discuss the future of America-India space cooperation, with particular emphasis on human spaceflight, News18 reported.

Gor revealed that NASA’s recent invitation to bring ISRO into its Moon Base program demonstrates how far this partnership can extend, not only to the Moon but beyond.

Gor said NASA’s recent invitation to bring ISRO into its Moon Base program signals how far this partnership can go to the Moon and beyond.

He described the meeting as a productive exchange, noting on X that the discussion focused on advancing collaboration in human spaceflight. Gor reiterated that NASA’s invitation to ISRO is a signal of the depth of cooperation, stating that the partnership is poised to reach new frontiers.

The Moon Base program is expected to drive scientific breakthroughs on the lunar surface and prepare the groundwork for crewed missions to Mars, marking a significant step in global exploration.

India joined the Artemis Accords on 21 June 2023 as the 27th signatory during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States. The Accords provide a non-binding international framework for cooperation in civilian space exploration.

Led by NASA and the US State Department, they establish principles for peaceful, sustainable and transparent exploration of the Moon, Mars and other destinations beyond Earth.

The Artemis Accords are closely tied to NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon, including the lunar South Pole, and to develop infrastructure for sustained human activity. India’s participation in the Accords does not make ISRO a formal hardware partner in the Artemis program.

Instead, India continues to pursue its own national space priorities while collaborating with NASA on specific bilateral projects.

One of the most prominent examples of this cooperation is the NISAR mission, a joint NASA-ISRO Earth-observation satellite designed to study changes on Earth’s surface. The two countries have also expanded their collaboration in human spaceflight, including training Indian astronauts, known as Gaganyatris, for missions to the International Space Station in partnership with Axiom Space.

India’s entry into the Artemis framework also carries implications for its private space sector. Membership can help Indian space companies and aerospace manufacturers gain greater visibility in international markets.

It may also enable them to participate in global supply chains involving satellite components, space systems and lunar missions. This could accelerate the growth of India’s emerging space Start-Up ecosystem.

The Accords further provide India with an opportunity to contribute to the development of international rules governing future lunar activities. These discussions include the use of lunar resources, safety arrangements around spacecraft and facilities, and in-situ resource utilisation, where resources found on the Moon are used locally.

By engaging in these deliberations alongside major space powers, India ensures it has a voice in shaping emerging norms for lunar exploration.

This participation is crucial as competing international initiatives take shape, including the US-led Artemis framework and the China-Russia-backed International Lunar Research Station.

India’s involvement positions it strategically within the evolving global space governance landscape, ensuring it is not left outside these critical developments.

Agencies