India’s house aspirations present no indicators of slowing, because the nation strengthens cooperation with the United States on a slew of upcoming science and human spaceflight missions.

The partnerships between the U.S. and India’s house company, the Indian Space Research Organization, had been a part of a key go to to the nation final week by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. The talks additional cemented India as a first-rate spacefaring nation, coming because the nation appears to be like to ramp up actions in low-Earth orbit, on the moon and past.

Last week, Nelson mentioned NASA will practice an Indian astronaut for an upcoming mission to the International Space Station. A agency timeline for that flight has not but been set, however he informed native media retailers it may happen as quickly as subsequent 12 months.

The U.S. and India may even collectively launch a brand new Earth remark satellite tv for pc within the first quarter of 2024. The mission, dubbed NISAR or NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is designed to review the planet’s ecosystems, water and different pure assets to assist information efforts to mitigate the consequences of local weather change.

Nelson’s go to was a part of efforts pushed by the Biden administration to deepen bilateral cooperation on know-how and innovation initiatives between the U.S. and India. NASA has additionally been eager to increase worldwide partnerships as a part of the Artemis Accords to keep up peaceable and clear exploration of house.

Nelson’s weeklong go to to India constructed on earlier agreements between the 2 house businesses to collaborate on initiatives associated to Earth science, house exploration, know-how and innovation.

“India is a leader in space and we’re looking forward to a productive visit,” he posted last month on X in the beginning of his go to to a number of cities.

India has in recent times emerged as a significant participant in what has been dubbed a brand new international house race, during which international locations in addition to non-public entrepreneurs have been vying for better affect.

India’s house company has mentioned it intends to assemble its personal house station in orbit within the many years forward, whereas additionally pursuing crewed missions to the moon.

The nation made historical past in August after efficiently landing the uncrewed Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon, changing into the primary nation to succeed in the lunar south pole.