India Joins Artemis Accords For Non-Military Space Exploration: ISRO-NASA Joint Mission To ISS In 2024?

India is the latest signatory to the Artemis Accords, confirmed the US White House. Additionally, India's ISRO and America's NASA have agreed to a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are developing a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation this year. Let's look at the latest developments, which would help in peaceful and mutually beneficial space exploration.

India To Become A Member Of The Artemis Accords For Peaceful Space Exploration

The Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century. It is an American-led effort to return humans to the moon by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond.

These accords are essentially the same as the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST), which categorically dissuades partner countries from using space for deploying military and offensive hardware.

The Artemis Accords, are mere three years old, and they seek to facilitate international collaboration in planetary exploration and research. It has a set of 13 principles that seek to promote peaceful and cooperative exploration of space.

The signatory countries essentially promise to abide by these principles which are mostly a reiteration of established international law on space exploration. These include a commitment not to use space for military purposes, a promise to cooperate on matters of the safety of space assets and astronauts, and a willingness to share scientific data from space missions.

ISRO and NASA Developing A Strategic Framework For Human Spaceflight

ISRO and NASA are developing a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation this year. Both space agencies have agreed to a joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in the year 2024.

This basically means India and USA would cooperate to send a manned mission to the ISS. It is not clear if the mission would involve an Indian astronaut. However, it is possible that the mission would be carried on India's tried and tested rockets, which have successfully placed multiple satellites in space.