NASA Ready to Send Indian to ISS in 2024, Joint Launch of NISAR Sat in Early 2023.

New Delhi: In a significant development for India’s space program, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced plans for the first space travel by an Indian citizen since Rakesh Sharma’s historic journey in 1984. NASA is set to assist in training and sending an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) by the end of 2024. During a multi-city visit to India to bolster Indo-US space collaboration, Nelson highlighted the partnership and the role of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in astronaut selection.

“The selection of the astronaut will be done by ISRO; NASA won’t be a part of it. Details of the mission are being worked out by ISRO,” Nelson stated. He praised India’s achievements, acknowledging its position as a valuable partner for the United States. Nelson also commended India for being the first to land on the Moon’s south pole.

During the visit, the NASA chief expressed the United States’ readiness to collaborate with India in constructing the country’s first space station, should India express the desire to do so by 2040. Additionally, Nelson discussed the potential for interplanetary missions with ISRO, expressing NASA’s willingness to plan such ventures based on India’s preferences.

Addressing Indo-US collaboration, Nelson emphasized ongoing scientific endeavors, including the joint venture to launch the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), a satellite valued at nearly $1 billion, in the first quarter of the coming year. NISAR will provide crucial information about Earth’s surface changes, climate, and more, with data accessible to the public on NASA’s website.

Nelson also recognized the opportunity for private astronaut missions for Indian astronauts and urged India to expedite the program to send its first astronaut aboard a NASA rocket to the ISS. The NASA chief reiterated the commitment to a two-week joint India-US space flight scheduled for the next year, building on discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden earlier in the year.

During the visit, Nelson reminisced about his experiences seeing India from space during his shuttle mission in 1986, expressing excitement about meeting cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma in Bengaluru. He shared anecdotes about conducting experiments in space and running on a treadmill, demonstrating the unique challenges and experiences of astronauts.

On a broader scale, Nelson discussed India signing the Artemis Accord, emphasizing the importance of maintaining safety, aiding each other in emergencies, promoting peaceful activities in space, and respecting each other’s space-related endeavors among the 32 nations that have signed the accord.

Bill Nelson, the 14th NASA Administrator and a former US senator, brings a wealth of experience to the role, having flown to space on board the Columbia shuttle 38 years ago. His visit further solidifies the collaboration between India and the United States in the realm of space exploration and research.