US plans to send Indian Astronaut to ISS this year: US Envoy Eric Garcetti

Eric Garcetti, the US ambassador to India confirmed on Wednesday, that an Indian Astronaut will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) by the USA this year. The US envoy stated in an event marking the 248th independence day of the USA.

Garcetti also mentioned the NISAR project, where the US space agency NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are collaborating for a joint Earth-observing mission, he stated that this too will possibly happen by the end of the year.

Garcetti said, "We are going to put an Indian astronaut into the International Space Station this year. We promised when PM (Narendra) Modi came (to the US in 2023) that by the end of this year, we will do this and our mission is still on track to be able to go in space this year."

He suggested that both countries should coordinate research and critical emerging technology with each other as both countries will benefit from the strength of the other. He also appreciated the landing of India's Chandrayan 3 on the moon and that too with significantly lower expenses compared to what the United States spent on a similar lunar mission.

"The US has some capacities that India still doesn't have today. When the two are combined, both countries have those capacities," he said.

Garcetti on the civilian nuclear energy arena said the government of India can address outstanding liability issues and move forward “arm in arm and hand in hand” following the election.

Mithi Virdhi in Gujarat and Kovadda in Andhra Pradesh are the two sites in India that have been allotted to US companies for building nuclear reactors. However, the companies are concerned by the Civil Liability Nuclear Damage Act 2010, which provides the victims with prompt and fair compensation if any damage is caused by a nuclear incident.

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