NASA and ISRO Continue To Work Towards Flying Indian Astronaut to ISS This Year

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) remain engaged in discussions regarding the prospect of an Indian astronaut journeying to the International Space Station (ISS) this year.

Eric Garcetti, US Ambassador to India confirmed the plans on May 22nd just before his meeting with S. Somanath, the head of ISRO during the U.S.-India Commercial Space Cooperation Conference in Bengaluru.

Initially outlined in a joint statement by President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, D.C, the goal of training Indian astronauts in the U.S. with the intention of launching a joint mission to the ISS in 2024.

“We are going to put an Indian astronaut into the International Space Station this year...We promised when PM Modi came that by the end of this year, we will do this and our mission is still on track to be able to go in space this year.” - Eric Garcetti, US Ambassador to India

Since the joint statement, neither NASA nor ISRO have provided formal updates on the mission's progress.

In February, Prime Minister Modi announced India’s first group of four astronauts, with plans for three to fly on the inaugural crewed flight of India’s Gaganyaan program no earlier than 2025. One astronaut from this group is expected to participate in a mission to the ISS, though specific crew assignments have not been disclosed by ISRO.

"At this time, the details regarding the potential space station flight by an ISRO astronaut are being finalized. Once that process is complete, NASA will determine the mission timelines and training modules required to fly to the International Space Station." - Julian Coltre, NASA spokesperson

The June joint statement specified that NASA would offer “advanced training” to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) and that both agencies would develop “a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation by the end of 2023.” However, NASA has not confirmed whether any Indian astronauts have commenced training at JSC or if the strategic framework has been completed.

The most probable scenario for an Indian astronaut's flight to the ISS involves a private astronaut mission, which typically lasts up to two weeks. The upcoming opportunity for such a mission is Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, scheduled for late this year. Axiom Space has not yet announced the crew for this mission. Should an Indian astronaut participate in a private mission, NASA’s involvement would primarily entail providing the necessary approvals for the flight to the ISS.

As discussions continue, the prospect of an Indian astronaut flying to the ISS remains a significant milestone in U.S.-India space collaboration, showcasing the growing partnership between the two space agencies.