India joined ‘Artemis Accords’

India has decided to join the ‘Artemis Accords’, and NASA and ISRO have agreed to a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024.

• Both countries have also discussed few other sectors for cooperation.

The Artemis Accord:

• Artemis Accords ensures that space exploration is conducted in a safe, sustainable and transparent manner and in full compliance with international law.
• The founding members of the Artemis Accords are Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the US.
• As more countries establish a presence in outer space, via research stations, satellites, or even rocket launchers, these accords provide a set of principles to create a safe and transparent environment that inspires exploration, science, and commercial activities.

About India-US cooperation:

• Space sector:
  • NASA and the ISRO are developing a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation.
  • In addition, NASA and ISRO have agreed to a joint mission to the International Space Station in the year 2024.
• On semiconductor: U.S. companies are partnering with India to build a semiconductor ecosystem that promotes supply chain diversification.
  • Micron Technology with support from the Indian National Semiconductor Mission announced an investment of more than 800 million dollars that together with additional financial support from Indian authorities will amount to a 75 billion dollars semiconductor assembly and test facility in India.
• On critical minerals and mineral security:
  • The United States is going to announce its support for India becoming a member of the Mineral Security Partnership which is led by the S. State Department and strengthens critical minerals supply chain and ensures that our respective markets are well supplied with essential critical minerals that are needed for climate, economic and strategic technology goals.
• On AI and quantum information science: India and the United States have first established a joint Indo-U.S. quantum coordination mechanism that will facilitate more collaboration between our industries, academia, and government.
• In telecommunication: India’s 5G and 6G and the U.S. Next G alliance will be leading a new public-private Cooperation forum as well.

Other NASA-ISRO projects:

• NISAR Mission:
  • NISAR has been built by space agencies of the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014.
  • It is expected to be launched in January 2024 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre into a near-polar orbit.
  • The satellite will operate for a minimum of three years.
  • It is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory.
  • NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days.

• These missions are critical for ISRO as it will demonstrate India's capabilities to make ideas for further interplanetary missions.
• These missions will be the benchmark for temperature data at best resolution and repeatability globally.
• These will be technology demonstration missions with advanced indigenously developed technologies.