NASA invites ISRO to join moon base mission:Both India and US to explore greater scientific data sharing under Artemis Accords

The race to return humans to the Moon is entering a new phase, and India could soon have a bigger role in it. NASA has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to join its ambitious Moon Base programme, opening the door to deeper India-US cooperation in lunar exploration. The invitation was made during the 9th India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group meeting held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru on August 5 and 6. The development was announced on August 11 as both countries look to expand cooperation in lunar science, human spaceflight and commercial space activities. NASA wants to build a long-term presence on the Moon NASA’s Moon Base vision goes beyond sending astronauts to the lunar surface for short visits. The aim is to create infrastructure that can support people living and working on the Moon for longer periods. The agency is focusing on the lunar South Pole, a region considered especially valuable because some permanently shadowed areas may contain water ice. NASA’s wider Artemis programme is designed to return humans to the Moon, support scientific research and help develop technologies that could eventually be used for missions to Mars. Water on the Moon could be extremely useful. If ice deposits can be extracted, they could potentially provide water for astronauts and be processed into oxygen and rocket propellant, making future lunar missions easier to support. Why India is important to NASA India has already shown that it can successfully operate in the challenging lunar South Pole region. In August 2023, Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed its Vikram lander and deployed the Pragyan rover near the Moon’s South Pole. The mission made India the first country to achieve a soft landing in the region. That achievement gave ISRO valuable experience in landing, operating, and conducting scientific work in one of the most difficult areas of the Moon. It also helped raise India’s profile as a major player in lunar exploration. The landing site was later named Shiv Shakti Point by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India’s lunar journey started with Chandrayaan-1
India’s growing role in lunar exploration did not begin with Chandrayaan-3. The country’s first Moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008 and played an important role in detecting evidence of water molecules on the lunar surface. The findings helped increase global scientific interest in the Moon, particularly its polar regions. Since then, India has continued to expand its capabilities through missions such as Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3. The latest NASA invitation shows how that experience could now become part of a much larger international effort to explore and develop the Moon. Also read: Forgot your Android phone’s PIN, pattern or password?:Stepwise guide on how to regain access and unlock your device using multiple methods

India and US to discuss sharing space data The Bengaluru meeting also produced another important development. According to the joint outcome, the two countries agreed to move forward with discussions on open scientific data sharing under the Artemis Accords. The two sides also agreed to advance discussions for cooperation on open scientific data sharing under the Accords. Such cooperation could allow scientists in both countries to make greater use of data collected during lunar missions and support wider research. What are the Artemis Accords? India joined the Artemis Accords in June 2023, becoming the 27th country to sign the agreement at the time. The accords provide principles for countries working together on the peaceful and sustainable exploration of the Moon, Mars and other destinations in space. NASA says the framework also supports the responsible use of space resources while remaining consistent with international space law. India’s possible involvement in the Moon Base programme would therefore build on an existing partnership rather than create an entirely new relationship. NISAR shows how closely NASA and ISRO are working The Moon Base invitation also comes after several years of growing cooperation between NASA and ISRO. One of the biggest examples is NISAR, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite. The mission was jointly developed by the two agencies and is designed to study changes on Earth’s surface, including natural disasters, ice, forests and other environmental changes. The two countries have also been discussing future cooperation in space science and human spaceflight technologies. Gaganyaan could be another area of cooperation India is also developing its own human spaceflight capabilities through the Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit using an Indian spacecraft and launch vehicle. The experience gained through Gaganyaan could eventually support India’s longer-term plans for human space exploration. India has also outlined broader space ambitions under its Space Vision 2047, including advanced lunar missions and a future human presence beyond Earth orbit. Also read: iPhone 15 under ₹52,000 during Flipkart’s Freedom Sale:A16 chip and capable cameras make it a good fit for someone planning to buy

India could have a bigger role in the Moon’s future For India, joining the Moon Base programme could provide opportunities to contribute its lunar landing experience, scientific expertise and space technology to a much larger international project. At the same time, cooperation on the Moon will come with scientific, technological and legal challenges. As more countries prepare to explore and use lunar resources, questions about how those resources should be accessed and how different nations should operate on the Moon will become increasingly important.