Now Reading: NASA invites ISRO to join Moon Base programme
-
01
NASA invites ISRO to join Moon Base programme
At the ninth meeting of the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bengaluru, NASA formally invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme. The outpost, to be built near the lunar…
The Story in Brief
At the ninth meeting of the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bengaluru, NASA formally invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme. The outpost, to be built near the lunar south pole in three phases, is humanity's first planned base on another celestial body. The programme was announced in March 2026 under NASA's 'Ignition' event, aligned with President Trump's space policy.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan and U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor attended the meeting. The invite builds on the Artemis Accords, which India signed in 2023. Both sides also discussed expanding cooperation after the joint NISAR satellite launch and future human spaceflight collaborations, under the U.S.-India TRUST initiative.
The Indian Opinion
The invite marks a leap for Indian space ambitions, but talk of a 'golden ticket' for startups overstates it. Direct participation in the Moon Base will depend on complex negotiations, funding, and technology transfer terms. India has yet to launch its first astronauts or build its own space station. The real test will be whether Indian firms secure concrete contracts and access to lunar science data, not just a seat at the table.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
