"Long-standing and fruitful": Indian envoy to US highlights decades-long space partnership

Washington, DC [US] September 16 (ANI): India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, on Monday (US Local time) underlined the “long-standing and fruitful” space partnership between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), describing it as one of the most important pillars of India-US cooperation.

Speaking at the India-USA Space Collaboration event in Washington, which saw the participation of astronauts Sunita Williams, Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Ambassador Kwatra said the gathering brought together “individuals with a space-centric view of Earth,” offering a refreshing departure from the routine bureaucratic world.

“We always have an earth-centric view of space. This is the first time we will have a space-centric view of space. We, India and ISRO and NASA have an excellent series of cooperation over a period of time,” Kwatra said.

Kwatra recalled that the India-US space journey began in the 1970s with initiatives such as the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), aimed at educational outreach. Since then, the partnership has expanded to multiple high-profile missions, including the Chandrayaan series, India’s signing of the Artemis Accords, and the joint NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission launched earlier this year.

“Looking ahead, India plans a manned moon mission and a space station between 2028 and 2035, and NASA will continue to be a vital partner…,” Kwatra said.

Meanwhile, addressing the event, Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams reflected on her experience as Commander of Expedition 72, calling it a “super difficult challenge” that underscored the importance of teamwork, resilience, and communication.

“It is a super difficult challenge to take, but we have been super fortunate in our time to see different things.. We have only taken different experiences that you have and added them into the spacecraft you are training for…” Williams said during the event.

She further stated that the mission lasted longer than expected, providing lessons on team support and emphasising the importance of effective communication.

“We thought we would be up there for a short time, but the mission lasted longer than expected. The biggest thing we learnt was the importance of team support and the value of listening to each other. Teamwork really is equally important to survival and success,” Williams said.

The mission, which began in September 2024 and concluded with Crew-9’s splashdown in March this year, conducted over 1,000 hours of research on human health, materials science, biology, and fire safety. It also enhanced 3D metal printing capabilities in orbit and prepared the first wooden satellite for deployment.

IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, selected for India’s human spaceflight programme, joined the event virtually. His presence was highlighted as a symbol of India’s next phase in human space exploration, in collaboration with international partners.

The event, hosted by the Indian Embassy, was attended by NASA representatives, embassy colleagues, and members of the Indian diaspora. (ANI)

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