An important step in India-US collaboration on lunar exploration and human spaceflight has been taken with NASA’s invitation to ISRO to join its Moon Base program.During the 9th meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG), which took place on August 5 and 6 at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru, the invitation was formally extended. Under the US-India Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology (TRUST) Initiative, senior leaders from both countries convened to promote commercial and civil space cooperation.
NASA urged ISRO to participate in the Moon Base initiative as part of the expanding collaboration under the Artemis Accords, according to a statement from the US Embassy.
Increasing cooperation in space science and human spaceflight technology was another topic of discussion during the CSJWG meeting. This follows last year’s successful launch of the joint NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar program, NISAR. The first satellite mission to examine Earth’s land and ice surfaces using two radar frequencies, NISAR offers in-depth assessments of environmental changes.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to advancing guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities through the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). They reviewed ongoing multilateral efforts aimed at strengthening the committee’s effectiveness in managing global space goUS ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Secretary of the Department of Space V Narayanan spoke during the meeting. In addition to US officials Wesley Brooks, assistant secretary of state for oceans and international environmental and scientific affairs, and Kathleen Karika, NASA associate administrator for international and interagency relations, it was co-chaired by M Sankaran, director of ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Center.
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