Washington: Barely days after NASA Administrator, James Bridenstine, criticized India’s Anti Satellite missile test, the US space agency has said that it will continue to work with ISRO.
Reports says that the volte-face of the NASA administration comes after US top leadership weighed in on the space agency to continue the cooperation with ISRO.
James Bridenstine, in a letter to ISRO Chairman K. Sivan, said that based on the guidance received from the White House he looked forward to continuing to work with ISRO on a host of issues including human space flights.
He said, “As part of our partnership with you, we will continue to work on issues using the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group, Planetary Science Working group, US India Earth Science Working Group and the Heliophysics Working Group.”
Earlier, the NASA chief had written a letter suspending activities under the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group.
A few days back, James Bridenstine criticized India for conducting the A-SAT missile test in which India shot down its own satellite orbiting about 300kms above the earth’s surface.
He said the missile test endangered safety of the International Space Station because debris from the explosion might threaten the ISS.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s success in shooting down a satellite by an anti-satellite missile on March 27, heralding the entry of India into an era of space wars.
India follows the US, Russia and China in achieving this unique capability. The success have given the country an edge over many countries when it comes to space power and threat from enemy satellites.
It must be noted that while US leadership did not take well China’s anti satellite missile test way back in 2007, the US top leadership has supported India in its endeavor. This is a testimony of how much the super power country views India as a strategic ally in the region.
