The United States and India announced on June 17 their plans to advance cooperation on human spaceflight, including flying an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS). However, specific details on who would fly and when remain undisclosed.
A fact sheet from the White House outlined the discussions held during the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) meeting on June 17 in New Delhi, chaired by the national security advisers of both countries. It highlighted progress in various technology sectors, including space.
The document celebrated the “securing a carrier for the first-ever joint effort between NASA and ISRO astronauts at the International Space Station.” This likely refers to a prior announcement that the United States would train Indian astronauts, aiming for a joint mission to the ISS in 2024.
The fact sheet did not specify the carrier or the mission's timeline. U.S. Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, mentioned in May that the mission would occur this year. However, a NASA spokesperson indicated that the flight details were still being finalized, and mission timelines and training modules would be determined afterward.
The most probable scenario for an Indian astronaut's flight to the ISS is via a private astronaut mission, lasting up to two weeks at the station. Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, scheduled for late this year, is the next such mission, though the company has not yet revealed its crew or training plans.
The fact sheet mentioned that both countries had completed a “Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation,” without providing details. Last year’s joint statement had projected the framework's completion by the end of 2023, including advanced training for ISRO astronauts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Furthermore, India and the U.S. are exploring opportunities for India’s involvement in the Lunar Gateway Program and other space technology collaborations. The NASA-led Lunar Gateway includes Western ISS partners and the United Arab Emirates, which agreed in January to develop an airlock module.
The statement also highlighted defense space cooperation. India participated as an observer in the Global Sentinel space security exercise held in February by U.S. Space Command and will join as a participant next year. Space defense cooperation discussions continued at the Advanced Domains Defense Dialogue in May, which included a space tabletop exercise. Additionally, Indian startups 114ai and 3rdiTech are collaborating with the U.S. Space Force on space situational awareness technologies.
NASA and ISRO have been collaborating on the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) Earth science mission. Although NISAR was scheduled to launch earlier this year on an Indian GSLV rocket, it was postponed to modify its large deployable antenna for better thermal protection when stowed. A new launch date has not been announced by either agency or in the White House fact sheet.
Source: SpaceNews