The US’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration has officially invited the Indian Space Research Organisation to participate in the ambitious Moon Base Mission, which aims to set up a permanent manned station near the lunar south pole sometime after 2032. Also known as the Artemis Base Camp, it will be humanity’s first lunar outpost. It is planned to be built in phases, beginning with robotic missions to test new technologies, followed by building systems and infrastructure required to sustain long-term human presence on the moon.
Notably, on August 23, 2023, India’s Chandrayaan-3 became the first spacecraft to land near the lunar south pole, in the vicinity of which the Artemis programme hopes to pitch up. The base will offer astronauts the experience of living in the lunar environment while pursuing scientific experiments and exploration, and make it possible for a future generation to live on the moon. It is expected to provide a boost for missions to Mars and beyond, too.
Nasa’s invitation to Isro is a potentially significant development for India’s space ambitions in the coming years. Although India was the 27th among 47 countries to sign the Artemis Accords (on June 21, 2023), it does not involve direct participation in specific Nasa-led Artemis missions. But the official invite could benefit India’s space dreams by opening streams for a regular flow of precious scientific details and experiences, riding on successful past partnerships with the US in pursuit of space exploration and technologies.
The timing could not have been better, as India is nurturing the dreams of sending its first astronauts into space in early 2027 on the indigenous Gaganyaan mission; building its own 52-tonne space station by 2035, of which the first, 10-tonne module is planned to be sent up in 2028; and sending its first astronauts to the moon by 2040.
India’s signing of the accords has already strengthened bilateral cooperation between Isro and Nasa, which paved the way for joint human spaceflight initiatives and advanced technology transfers, besides allowing Indian hardware and future crewed missions to connect smoothly with international lunar infrastructure, maximising scientific returns and cost-effectiveness. This holds promise for even the 400-odd Indian private space startups. Thus, Nasa’s invite to participate in the moon base could be a golden ticket for many.
