core sector communique

Fact Sheet on U.S.-India Space Cooperation

 

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

November 8, 2010

 

Fact Sheet

 

U.S.-India Space Cooperation

 

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to scale up joint U.S.-India space collaboration for the benefit of humanity. They recognized a natural partnership exists between India's dynamic human enterprise and the U.S. storied history of space exploration. In addition, they noted that their respective private sectors would be significant force multipliers in any effort to advance joint space exploration.

 

The leaders pledged to build closer ties in space exploration and earth observation through a Joint Civil Space Working Group meeting to be held in 2011. India and the United States will also focus on cooperation in the safety and security of outer space activities.

 

In addition to our rapidly expanding bilateral cooperation, the United States is encouraged by India's increasingly active participation in multilateral fora on space cooperation, including the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO).

 

Space Exploration

 

.. Noting the successful joint cooperation on Chandrayaan I, which detected the presence of water around the lunar pole, both sides committed to explore cooperation in planetary exploration and promote collaboration on future space missions.

 

.. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) welcomed the commitment of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to continue preliminary discussion on Human Space Flight cooperation.

 

.. NASA and ISRO continue to be important participants in the International Space Exploration Coordination Group that has developed a Global Exploration Strategy and has begun developing a Global Exploration Roadmap.

 

Earth Observation

 

.. The United States and India both play a lead role in GEO and other forums focused on exchanging and utilizing satellite-based scientific data about the Earth, its climate, weather, and geophysical features to promote sustainable development worldwide.

 

.. Both countries look forward to the bilateral expansion of cooperative satellite-based Earth observation efforts to support regional and global goals in a number of areas that include:

 

A joint weather and climate forecasting project to predict the impacts of climate variability on agriculture;

 

-- Validating and utilizing data from the ISRO Oceansat-2 mission, and similar activities for the upcoming Indian-French Megha-Tropiques mission, which will contribute to the international global precipitation monitoring constellation.

 

-- Long-term cooperation between the U.S. Landsat and the Indian Resourcesat land imaging satellite programs. This will enable fostering improved land surface monitoring, land use management, ecosystems protection, and disaster mitigation and response.

 

Science Education

 

.. The U.S. welcomed India's active participation in the NASA-led Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) education program, which promotes the teaching and learning of science and enhancement of environmental literacy and stewardship. Nearly 1,000 Indian schools have enrolled in the GLOBE program since India joined in 2000.

 

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. )