US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, visited Bengaluru to meet with space sector business leaders and entrepreneurs and discuss space collaboration. During his visit, Garcetti had a meeting with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S. Somanath to discuss various aspects of the collaboration, including the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar mission (NISAR) [9ef6ea80].
Garcetti also spoke with industry leaders and members of the American Chamber of Commerce India, focusing on the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) as an important mechanism for expanding strategic security and technology cooperation between the two nations. He emphasized the shared commitment of the U.S. and India to leverage technology and innovation for societal progress [9ef6ea80].
The US Ambassador delivered a keynote address at the U.S.-India Commercial Space Cooperation Conference, highlighting the importance of commercial opportunities in space cooperation. He emphasized the potential for economic growth and job creation through startups in the industry. Garcetti's visit aimed to strengthen the partnership between the U.S. and India in the field of space [9ef6ea80].
NASA administrator Bill Nelson announced that the U.S. space agency will expand collaboration with India, including a joint effort aboard the International Space Station (ISS) with an Indian astronaut. The announcement follows a meeting between U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on June 17, where they discussed commencing advanced training for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) astronauts in the U.S. The collaboration aims to support future human spaceflight and improve life on Earth. The two countries are also preparing for the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, a jointly developed satellite to combat climate change and other global challenges. The meeting concluded that India and the U.S. must remain at the forefront of developing critical technologies. The collaboration is part of the United States and India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology [69c96a01] [9ef6ea80].
During his visit, Garcetti also met with the former world champion blind cricket team and extended his best wishes for their upcoming trip to the United States. The team's visit is intended to promote blind cricket ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics. This meeting highlighted the importance of sports diplomacy and the power of collaboration in various fields [9ef6ea80].
According to NASA administrator Bill Nelson, NASA will collaborate with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to train an Indian astronaut for the International Space Station (ISS). The announcement was made on June 20, 2024, and marks an expansion of collaboration between the two space agencies. The joint effort on the ISS aims to support future human spaceflight and advance scientific research. The collaboration is part of the United States and India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, which seeks to leverage technology and innovation for societal progress. The two countries are also working on the development of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, a satellite designed to address global challenges such as climate change. The training of the Indian astronaut in the U.S. is expected to further strengthen the partnership between the two nations in the field of space exploration [20e77b43] [69c96a01] [9ef6ea80].
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has selected two of its four trained Gaganyaan astronauts to go to the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) later this year. The mission is scheduled to take place "no earlier than October 2024." The astronauts will have to go to the United States ahead of the mission to train on the specifics of the ISS. The Axiom-4 mission, a collaboration between NASA and private US company Axiom Space, is expected to dock with the ISS for fourteen days. India's own human spaceflight is unlikely to take place before 2025 [3157173a].