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NASA to provide advanced training to Indian astronauts for joint mission to ISS, says US envoy
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that the effort was in line with a commitment made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023.
Eric Garcetti along with representatives from ISRO and NASA at the conference organized by USIBC and USCS. / Courtesy Photo
US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, said on May.24 that NASA will provide advanced training to Indian astronauts as part of a joint mission to the International Space Station. The US envoy made the remarks at the ‘US-India Commercial Space Conference: Unlocking Opportunities for US & Indian Space Startups’, hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and the US Commercial Service (USCS) in Bengaluru.
“NASA will soon provide advanced training to Indian astronauts, with the goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station, hopefully, this year or shortly thereafter, which was one of the promises of our leaders' visit together,” Garcetti said at the conference.
"We promised when PM (Narendra) Modi came (to the US in 2023) that by the end of this year, we will do this and our mission is still on track to be able to go in space this year," PTI quoted the US envoy.
Garcetti also mentioned the upcoming launch of the NISAR satellite.
“And soon we will launch the NISAR satellite from ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Center to monitor all resources, including ecosystems, the Earth's surface, natural hazards, sea level rise, and the cryosphere,” he added.
Garcetti stated how the two nations were “arm in arm” and how that would benefit both the US and India.
“You see whether it's the pursuit of peace and the peaceful use of space, things like the Artemis Accord, we are hand in hand, arm in arm,” he said. “When it comes to prosperity and jobs, which is a big part of this conference today, it can be produced by startups in this sector, good-paying, high-tech jobs for Indians and for Americans. Space is right there.”
Excited to join @ISRO, @USCSIndia & @USIBC for the U.S.-India Commercial Space Cooperation Conference! We are unlocking opportunities for U.S. industry and Indian space startups, strengthening our partnership, and propelling our collaboration to new heights together. Our joint… pic.twitter.com/ZqS5V3r37U
— U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti (@USAmbIndia) May 24, 2024
The event attracted senior officials from both the US and the Indian governments, including Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr Somanath S, representatives from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Government of India. Additionally, prominent leaders from the commercial space industry, industry stakeholders, venture capitalists, and market analysts also participated.
Before the conference, USIBC and USCS hosted a webinar titled ‘US-India Commercial Space Cooperation Conference: Demystifying Export Controls’ on May 22, further enriching the discussion on fostering bilateral cooperation in the space domain.
USIBC has been instrumental in facilitating the expansion of the Indian space industry into the United States. They have actively supported initiatives such as the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) organized by the Department of State. This initiative provided pioneering Indian commercial space leaders with a thorough immersion into the American commercial space ecosystem.
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