India USA Space Cooperation
Context:
- The agreement between India and the United States to advance space cooperation in a number of areas, including human space exploration and commercial space partnership, comes at a crucial time for both countries. This follows the eighth gathering of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG), which was held on January 30 and 31, 2023.
Orbital exploration:
- In November 2022, the United States launched its Artemis mission by sending the Orion spacecraft towards the moon and safely bringing it back to Earth.
- The launch of India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, is planned for 2024.
- The two countries’ efforts have resulted in substantial advancements in the private space sector. These projects will shape and advance space policy and programmes in India and the United States during the next ten years. In this context, an alliance between the United States and India appears straightforward.
- India may be able to obtain technologies and know-how by cooperating with a developed spacefaring country, while the United States may strengthen its relations with India on a subject that seems less divisive than others.
- The level of collaboration between the US and India is limited in the short term by a number of structural factors, therefore it is not an easy task. Because of this, there is a chance that India-U.S. cooperation will advance at a controlled rate, enabling durable ties in both the civilian and military space sectors.
An incompatibility of skills and interests:
- The main structural obstacle to long-term India-U.S. space cooperation is the misalignment of the two nations’ goals in space. The US has pledged to return to the moon and spend more time there permanently this time. While highlighting the importance of maintaining capabilities in low-Earth orbit, the United States and its partners have their sights set firmly on the moon.
- The Artemis Program, the Artemis Accords, and the National Cislunar Science & Technology Strategy under the Biden administration form the basis for American goals beyond earth orbits.
- The scientific community in India is focused on developing its capabilities in and below Earth orbits. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) now conducts less than 10 launches per year. The objective of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme is to sustain India’s human presence in space for the long term. Of course, India has ambitions to travel to Mars and beyond. India’s major priority is to considerably enhance its satellite and launch capabilities in earth orbit in order to catch up to other spacefaring nations like China.
- The mismatch in competence is the second fundamental factor preventing India and the US from working together in space. The United States is the primary owner of registered spacecraft. It also offers a range of launchers that can be used for both industrial and national security purposes. For instance, the private corporation SpaceX successfully completed 61 launches in 2022, setting a record that was much exceeded by any other commercial organisation or country. The American commercial sector has also taken on the challenge of replacing the International Space Station (ISS) with a number of smaller stations by 2030.
- The biggest issue India is currently facing is capacity. The country is unable to execute double-digit launches every year because there are only little more than 60 satellites in orbit. The Indian government didn’t open up the space industry to the private sector until 2020. Given its extensive network of space cooperation friends, the United States has few technological incentives to work with India.
- These problems are made worse by disagreements over the best techniques to control space activity on the moon and other celestial worlds. Despite the fact that countries have a mindset towards cooperation, structural issues exceed diplomatic incentives to foster long-term partnership.
Moving forward, here are a few inventive answers:
- The typical strategy to developing long-term collaboration is to maintain interaction between academics, business, and state-led organisations in the two countries. Collaboration on highly specialised initiatives such as the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) programme may reflect a continuous commitment.
- However, these methods are onerous and insufficient in the modern space age, as diplomacy struggles to keep up with the rate of scientific innovation. In order to have a successful partnership in the new space age, India and the U.S. must therefore come up with novel ways to work together.
- Two instances of cooperation are a public-private partnership and, as decided at the most recent conference, a gathering of American and Indian aerospace firms to develop collaboration under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme.
- Perhaps a more thorough organisation could be created. Indian astronauts might train at American private companies. India may be able to become less dependent on Russia if ISRO builds an astronaut training facility of its own.
- Another novel arrangement might be a collaboration between American commercial companies and the state-owned NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). Thanks to this arrangement, the U.S. may be able to support Indian interests in earth orbits, which may help hasten India’s human spaceflight programme.
Conclusion:
- India and the USA can expand new horizons in space research and strategic cooperation as “natural allies.” However, the Indian space agency and the business sector (in space research) must improve their skills to catch up to the USA.
