Highlights 

• India has made significant strides in the field of space exploration, particularly in lunar missions.
• This ambitious mission aimed to land a rover called Vikram near the lunar south pole. While the soft landing did not go as planned, the mission was still considered a major milestone for India's space program.
• Regarding collaborations with NASA, India and the United States have had a history of cooperative ventures in space exploration. For instance, NASA and ISRO have previously collaborated on various scientific missions, including sharing data and scientific instruments.

In a significant development, India has announced its participation in NASA's Lunar Mission, marking a new chapter in the country's space exploration endeavors. This decision comes just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, where space cooperation between the two nations is expected to take center stage. The collaboration with NASA is a testament to India's growing stature in the global space arena and its commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific research and exploration.

The collaboration between India and NASAholds immense potential for both countries. For NASA, India's participation brings valuable expertise and resources to the table. ISRO has proven capabilities in designing and launching spacecraft, as well as navigating them in challenging space environments. By partnering with ISRO, NASA can benefit from India's experience and knowledge, fostering a spirit of collaboration that extends beyond national boundaries.

India, a global power and one of the few nations with independent space access, must be a part of the Artemis team, which brings together nations with similar goals for civil space exploration, according to a high-ranking NASA official.

The Artemis Accords are a set of non-binding guidelines for civil space exploration and use in the twenty-first century. The Outer Space Treaty (OST) of 1967 serves as their foundation. It will be a US-led endeavor by 2025 with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond.

India hopes to become the 26th signatory of the Artemis programby May 2023, according to Bhavya Lal, the associate administrator for technology, policy, and strategy in the office of the NASA Administrator.

India should make signing the Artemis Accords a top priority, in my opinion. In other words, NASA is pretty sure that India is a global power. She stated that it must be a part of the Artemis team because it is one of the few nations with independent space access, a thriving launch industry, and trips to the moon and Mars.

How we ensure that space remains sustainable for future generations is the issue. Therefore, I believe the benefit is that countries with similar values can collaborate on exploration," Lal stated.

She said that India's status as a global space power and its emphasis on sustainable exploration, responsible space use, cooperation, and transparency are advantages.

The Artemis Accords, which are an American-led effort to return humans to the Moon by 2025 with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond, are increasingly being discussed by Nasa officials days before PM Narendra Modi's visit to the United States from June 21 to 25.

When PM Modi and US President Joe Biden meet next week at the White House, one US space expert hopes that space cooperation will be one of the main topics of conversation.

The "relationship between the US and India is absolutely critical on Earth, and possibly even more so in space," according to Mike Gold, a US space expert and former associate administrator for space policy and partnerships at Nasa. Additionally, he referred to India as a "sleeping giant" for whom the sky is the limit. Gold also urged India to participate in the US lunar program, and he is regarded as the Artemis Accords' architect. In addition, he hoped that Indian astronauts would use the International Space Station as a destination and that Nasa would work with Isro on the Gaganyaan human space flight mission.

As a prelude to its manned lunar mission, the United States of America kicked off its Artemis program in November 2022 by sending the unmanned Orion spacecraft to the Moon and safely returning it to Earth. Under the "initiative on critical and emerging technology" (ICET) umbrella, India and the United States agreed earlier this year to advance space collaboration in a number of areas, including human space exploration and commercial space partnership.

In addition to the scientific and technological aspects, the partnership with NASA holds strategic importance for India. As the world becomes increasingly dependent on space-based assets, ensuring the security and integrity of these assets has become paramount. Collaborating with NASA not only strengthens India's space capabilities but also enhances its ability to contribute to global space governance. By actively participating in international space missions, India can play a pivotal role in shaping policies and regulations that governspace exploration and utilization.

The timing of India's decision to join NASA's Lunar Mission, just ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to the United States, is no coincidence. It highlights the significance both countries attach to space cooperation and the potential for further deepening bilateral ties. As Prime Minister Modi engages in discussions with his American counterparts, the space partnership will serve as a catalyst for broader collaborations in science, technology, trade, and diplomacy.

The participation in NASA's Lunar Mission marks a significant milestone for India and its space program. It underscores the country's commitment to advancing scientific knowledge, exploring the uncharted territories of space, and contributing to the global pursuit of understanding our universe.