NASA invited ISRO during the ninth meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group, held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru on August 5-6.
| Photo Credit:
Jonathan Ernst
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to join its `Moon Base’ programme, marking an expansion of India-US cooperation in lunar science and exploration, according to a US Embassy statement.The invitation was extended during the ninth meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group, held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru on August 5-6. “NASA invited ISRO to join its Moon Base program, building on the two countries’ partnership under the Artemis Accords,” the statement issued on Tuesday noted. NASA’s Moon Base programme is a US-led effort to develop a sustained lunar presence as part of its broader Artemis exploration programme. “The Moon Base is humanity’s first lunar outpost, a place where astronauts will live, work, and explore near the Moon’s South Pole. Through a series of crewed and uncrewed missions, NASA and its partners will build the infrastructure needed to support an enduring human presence on the Moon, unlock new scientific discoveries, and prepare for future deep space exploration,” according to NASA.The two sides also agreed to advance discussions on cooperation in open scientific data sharing under the Artemis Accords–a non-binding international agreement launched by NASA and the US State Department in 2020, putting in place a set common principles for the peaceful and sustainable exploration of the moon and outer space.“Both sides discussed expanding cooperation following the successful launch of the joint NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission last year, as well as pursuing future science and human space flight technology collaborations,” the statement highlighted.The meeting was attended by senior officials from both countries. ISRO Chairman and Department of Space Secretary V Narayanan and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor addressed the opening session and emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral space cooperation.The Indian side was co-chaired by M Sankaran, Director of ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre, while the US side was co-chaired by Wesley Brooks, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and Kathleen Karika, NASA Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations. They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, as well as reviewed ongoing multilateral efforts for ensuring the committee’s effectiveness.Published on August 11, 2026
