Explore the Intergalactic Projects of NASA and ISRO: NISAR Mission to Astronauts!

India and the United States are preparing to engage in an unprecedented joint effort in space exploration, signifying a momentous achievement in their space alliance. The declaration followed a meeting between NASA Chief Bill Nelson and Union Minister Jitendra Singh in New Delhi. The latest collaboration between NASA and ISRO entails the deployment of a remote sensing satellite called NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) in the initial quarter of the forthcoming year. Additionally, ISRO and NASA will collaborate on numerous other projects.

NISAR satellite

NISAR satellite will be launched by India’s GSLV. The goal of this project is to improve Earth observation capabilities and focus on studying different aspects such as terrestrial ecosystems, solid Earth deformation, polar cryosphere, sea ice and coastal oceans. Science payloads for the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) have been delivered to India and will be commissioned in 2024.

During the meeting, Chief Bill Nelson congratulated the Union Minister for the historic Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon in the pristine South Pole region. Nelson further called for expediting programs related to India’s first astronaut on a NASA rocket to the International Space Station (ISS). The two countries had earlier agreed on a two-week joint space flight, and NASA is actively exploring the possibility of Indian astronauts for the Private Astronaut Mission planned for 2024.

Collaboration between India and NASA

Earlier this year, during his visit to the White House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced several space-related agreements with the US. According to a fact sheet released by the White House, ISRO and NASA are working together on several space exploration programs. See the list below:

• India signed the Artemis Treaty, committed to peaceful, sustainable and transparent cooperation to enable exploration of the moon, Mars and beyond. It became the 27th signatory to this agreement.
• NASA is helping to train ISRO astronauts in Texas, and the longer-term goal is to launch a joint mission to the ISS in 2024.
• ISRO and NASA are collaborating to create a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
• A $318 million investment has been approved for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory in India.

This international cooperation in space exploration programs will raise the standard of projects and help scientists of ISRO and NASA to share their knowledge with each other to carry out successful missions together.