May 25 :
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that as part of a collaborative mission to the International Space Station, NASA will offer advanced training to Indian astronauts. Speaking at the 'US-India Commercial Space Conference: Unlocking Opportunities for US & Indian Space Startups' in Bengaluru, the US envoy delivered the remarks on behalf of the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and the US Commercial Service (USCS).
As one of the pledges made during their leaders' visit, NASA will soon begin training Indian astronauts with the objective of launching a collaborative mission to the International Space Station either this year or soon after, according to Garcetti's statement at the conference.
According to the US envoy, who was reported by PTI, "We promised when PM (Narendra) Modi came to the US in 2023 that we will do this by the end of this year." The mission is still on track to be able to go into space this year. The imminent launch of the NISAR satellite was also brought up by Garcetti.
The NISAR satellite, which will keep an eye on ecosystems, the surface of the Earth, natural disasters, rising sea levels, and the cryosphere, will be launched soon from ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Centre, he said.
According to Garcetti, the United States and India were working together "arm in arm" for the good of both countries.
"Every time it comes to the pursuit of peace and the peaceful use of space, initiatives like the Artemis Accord, we are completely united," he stated. Startups in this field have the potential to create high-tech jobs that pay well for both Indians and Americans. This is important because prosperity and employment are major themes of our conference today. Look, there's space just there.
Participating dignitaries from the US and India included ISRO Chairman Dr. Somanath S., as well as officials from NASA, NOAA, and the Indian government, among others. Participating also were key figures from the commercial space business, venture capitalists, industry players, and market analysts.
A webinar titled 'US-India Commercial Space Cooperation Conference: Demystifying Export Controls' was held on May 22 by USIBC and USCS prior to the conference. The purpose of the webinar was to further enhance the conversation surrounding the promotion of bilateral cooperation in the space sector.
The expansion of India's space sector into the US market was greatly aided by USIBC. Efforts like the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) receive their full backing. Pioneering Indian business space entrepreneurs were able to fully immerse themselves in the American commercial space ecosystem through this programme.
