ISRO and ESA Forge Partnership to Enhance Human Spaceflight and Global Cooperation
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New Delhi, Dec 21 (NationPress) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered into a new agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to propel human spaceflight missions forward and strengthen global collaboration.
“ISRO and ESA have formalized a partnership to work together on astronaut training, mission execution, and research experiments, which includes collaboration for the forthcoming Axiom-4 mission. This alliance aims to enhance India’s capabilities in human spaceflight and promote international cooperation,” stated the Indian space agency in a post on the social media platform X.
The agreement was signed by Dr. S Somanath, Chairman of ISRO and Secretary of the Department of Space, alongside Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Director General of ESA.
This agreement establishes a framework for joint efforts in human space exploration and research, covering areas such as astronaut training, supporting experiment development and integration using ESA facilities on the International Space Station (ISS).
Moreover, the agreement is set to enhance the implementation of human and biomedical research experiments, as well as collaborative educational and outreach initiatives.
“ISRO has outlined a strategic plan for human spaceflight activities, and the recent endorsement of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) opens avenues for developing interoperability among human spaceflight systems,” commented Somanath.
“This agreement lays a solid groundwork for cooperation between our two agencies. The leadership from both sides expressed satisfaction with the advancements made in joint preparations for the Axiom-4 mission and emphasized the importance of ongoing collaborative ventures in human spaceflight moving forward,” Aschbacher remarked.
Both ISRO and ESA are integral to the upcoming Axiom-4 mission, which is spearheaded by the American private space organization, Axiom Space. The mission is anticipated to launch as early as spring 2025.
While ISRO’s Gaganyatri and ESA’s astronaut will serve as crew members, both agencies are working together to carry out selected experiments by Indian principal investigators aboard the ISS, as reported by ISRO.
Additionally, they are pursuing participation in ESA’s human physiological studies, technology demonstration experiments, as well as joint educational outreach efforts, the agency noted.
