UAE, India to join hands for space missions
MARS PROBE IS AMONG THE KEY AREAS OF COOPERATION BEING EXPLORED
The UAE’s Mars Mission is among the key areas of cooperation being explored between the space agencies of India and the UAE, a top official of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said yesterday.
“It is our pleasure to work with the UAE to develop a mutually beneficial space cooperation. Following the success of our Mars mission in 2013, India is ready to offer its expertise in the field to the UAE,” Dr K. Sivan, chairman of Isro, said at an interaction with UAE media. The UAE is scheduled to launch the Hope orbiter to Mars in 2020, which will land on the Red Planet in time for the country’s golden jubilee celebrations in 2021.
“India is the world’s only country to successfully launch a Mars mission in its first attempt. Our Mars orbiter was planned to last only six months, but after more than 3 years and 4 months, it’s still intact in its orbit and transmitting key data back to Earth,” Dr Sivan said.
A senior leadership team from Isro, which operates under the Indian government’s Department of Space, has been invited to speak at the sixth World Government Summit on Sunday, said Dr D Gowrisankar, deputy director of international cooperation at Isro. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the keynote speaker at the summit.
The UAE Space Agency and Isro signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes in February 2016, and a joint working group held its first meeting in December 2017, Dr Sivan said.
On the UAE’s plan to build a colony in Mars by 2171, Dr Sivan said: “I’m very happy to see the UAE’s great vision for the future in action. In India, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of our space science, had a similar vision 50 years ago — and today at Isro we are reaping the results of that vision. The UAE’s Mars Mission is therefore a great and a very necessary idea.”
The key areas identified for exploring further possibilities include remote sensing of the earth, satellite communication, sounding rockets and satellite based navigation.
Isro has given a report to the Arab Civil Aviation Commission on the possibility of using GAGAN [GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation] satellite navigation in the region.” Dr K Sivan | Chairman of Isro
After forging a stronger relationship on all matters earthly in the past few years, the UAE and India are now aiming to boost their bilateral ties in the sky.
A joint working group set up between the UAE Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) have identified key areas for cooperation — including the UAE’s Mars Mission, remote sensing applications and satellite platforms — in their first meeting held in December 2017, the chairman of Isro said yesterday. Dr K. Sivan was speaking at a media interaction in Bengaluru ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE this weekend.
Satellite navigation
“The areas of cooperation possibilities also include satellite navigation and sounding rockets, while Isro has provided a report to the Arab Civil Aviation Commission on the possibility of using GAGAN [GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation] satellite navigation services in the region,” Dr Sivan said. The working group meeting follows the signing of a MoU between the two countries in 2016 on space research and exploration.
Following its successful mission to Mars in 2013, India is well positioned to offer its expertise to the UAE, which plans to launch the Hope orbiter to Mars in 2020, Dr Sivan said. India became the world’s only country to successfully launch a Mars mission in its first attempt. Its Mars orbiter was planned to last only six months — yet after more than 3 years and 4 months, it’s still intact in its orbit and transmitting key data back to Earth, Dr Sivan said.
On the UAE’s plan to build a colony on Mars by 2171, Dr Sivan said: “I’m very happy to see the UAE’s great vision for the future in action. In India, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the Father of our Space Science, had a similar vision 50 years ago — and today at Isro we are reaping the results of that vision. The UAE’s Mars Mission is therefore a great and a very necessary idea.”
Other areas where both nations could potentially collaborate include help with satellite based search and rescue missions — whether for missing fishermen or for maritime security — under the ambit of the COSPASSARSAT agreement, said Dr PG Diwakar, scientific secretary at Isro. Indian space technology has gained attention from the UAE and other nations exploring the frontiers of space due to its robust yet flexible systems and its costeffectiveness, he said.
Training Emirati scientists
Noting that Dr Khalifa Al Rumaithi, chairman of the UAE Space Agency, visited Isro in September 2015 to discuss avenues for building space cooperation, Dr Sivan said his agency could also look at facilitating the training of Emirati space scientists in Indian space research institutions. “Such collaboration will only help make India-UAE relations stronger,” he said.
With the successful launches of India’s moon mission in 2008 and the Mars mission and launch of Astrosat in 2015, Indian space science has moved far beyond the age when it used to transport rockets on bicycles and satellites on bullock carts, said Dr D Gowrisankar, Deputy Director of International Cooperation at Isro. The agency today boasts nearly 240 space cooperation agreements with 28 countries, he said.
“Isro is pursuing a space programme for the last five decades with the goal of developing space technology and its applications to solve the real problems of man and society.
“Today, we are self-reliant in building, launching and operating satellites for earth observation, communication, navigation and planetary exploration. Our focus is on building a vibrant application programme for social benefits,” Dr Sivan said.