The agreement, signed by ISRO Chairman S Somanath and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, lays the foundation for a range of joint activities focused on human spaceflight. Specifically, the agreement will cover areas such as astronaut training, development and integration of space experiments, utilization of ESA facilities on the International Space Station (ISS), human and biomedical research, as well as joint educational and outreach programs.

One of the first major projects under the new agreement will be the Axiom-4 mission, which is set to launch with a crew that includes both ISRO’s Gaganyatri astronaut and an ESA astronaut. As part of this mission, the two agencies will work together to implement a series of experiments proposed by Indian Principal Investigators on the ISS. Additionally, ISRO and ESA will explore further collaboration in ESA’s human physiological studies, technology demonstrations, and public outreach activities.

ISRO’s roadmap for human spaceflight

In remarks following the signing, Somanath highlighted ISRO’s roadmap for human spaceflight, emphasizing the agency’s long-term vision for expanding its presence in space. He also pointed to the recent approval of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India’s upcoming indigenous space station, as a significant opportunity for fostering interoperability between different human spaceflight platforms.

Aschbacher expressed his appreciation for the progress made in strengthening ties between the two space agencies. He thanked Somanath for addressing the ESA Council and praised the agreement as a solid framework for future collaboration in space exploration.

Both ISRO and ESA leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far on the Axiom-4 mission and reaffirmed their commitment to continuing joint efforts in the field of human spaceflight. The partnership between the two agencies is expected to open new doors for scientific research, space technology advancements, and global collaboration in the coming years.