NASA Invites ISRO To Join Moon Base Programme, Deepening India-US Space Partnership

New Delhi: NASA has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to join its ambitious Moon Base programme, opening a new chapter in India-US cooperation in lunar exploration, human spaceflight and advanced space technologies.

The invitation was extended during the ninth meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG), hosted at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru on August 5 and 6. The development builds on the growing partnership between the two countries under the Artemis Accords.

“The NASA invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme, building on the two countries’ partnership under the Artemis Accords,” the US Embassy in India said in a statement. The two sides also agreed to advance discussions on cooperation in open scientific data sharing under the Accords.

The proposed Moon Base is part of NASA’s broader effort to establish a sustained human presence around the Moon, with the lunar South Pole emerging as a key focus. The programme envisages infrastructure that could allow astronauts to live, work and conduct scientific research on the lunar surface through a combination of crewed and uncrewed missions.

For India, joining the programme could significantly expand its role in international lunar exploration beyond its Chandrayaan missions, providing opportunities to contribute to scientific research, technology development and future human spaceflight efforts.

India-US Space Cooperation Gets Fresh Push

The Bengaluru meeting brought together senior officials from both countries to discuss ways to expand civil and commercial space cooperation under the US-India Transforming the Relationship Utilising Strategic Technology (TRUST) Initiative.

ISRO Chairman and Department of Space Secretary V Narayanan and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor addressed the opening session. The meeting was co-chaired by M Sankaran, Director of ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre, along with US officials Wesley Brooks and Kathleen Karika, NASA Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations.

The discussions covered future cooperation in space science, human spaceflight technology, Earth observation and other emerging areas. Both sides also reviewed the progress of their existing collaboration following the successful launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission last year.

NISAR is designed to provide detailed observations of changes on Earth's land and ice surfaces and is notable for using two radar frequencies to study the planet.

Artemis Accords Link

The latest initiative builds on India’s decision to join the Artemis Accords in 2023. The framework lays down principles for peaceful, transparent and sustainable cooperation in lunar and broader space exploration.

The proposed cooperation also comes as the US-led Artemis programme seeks to move beyond individual lunar missions towards a more sustained human presence around the Moon and prepare for future deep-space exploration.

India and the US also reaffirmed their commitment to guidelines framed through the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) for the long-term sustainability of space activities. The two sides reviewed ongoing multilateral efforts aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of the committee.

The NASA invitation marks a significant expansion of the India-US space relationship—from joint Earth-observation missions such as NISAR towards deeper cooperation in lunar exploration, human spaceflight and the development of technologies for future missions beyond Earth.

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