ISRO Signs Agreement with Australian Space Agency (ASA) for Gaganyaan Mission Launch.

Science and Technology

On November 20, 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formalised an Implementation Agreement (IA) with Australian Space Agency (ASA) for strengthening the cooperation in space activities between both countries.


      - This initiative enables collaboration between both space agencies on crew and crew module recovery efforts for the Gaganyaan mission (India's first human spaceflight program).

      - India and Australia are enduring strategic partners, working closely and committed to exploring current and future collaborative activities.

      - The IA was signed by DK Singh, Director, Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) on ISRO's side at Bengaluru, India and Jarrod Powell, General Manager, Space Capability Branch, on ASA's side at Canberra, Australia.

Main Points:-   (i) The name Gaganyaan has its roots in Sanskrit, translating to 'sky and vehicle.' The primary objective of this mission is to launch a team of astronauts into space, where they will travel at an altitude of 400 km above Earth in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for a three-day expedition before returning by landing in the Indian Ocean.

      (ii) The launch of the mission is expected to be in 2026. Under the Gaganyaan programme, ISRO will carry out four missions, which include three uncrewed space missions and one crewed mission.

(iii) The first uncrewed mission is scheduled to take place in 2024-25, and the first crewed mission is scheduled in 2025-27.
About Australia

PM : Anthony Albanese
Capital : Canberra
          ____________________________