NASA Chief Meets Rakesh Sharma, Discusses India's Space Prowess

NASA's Bill Nelson meets Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, at ISRO in Bengaluru. Sharma's historic flight in 1984 paved the way for India's space journey. Nelson admires India's leadership in space and discusses joint projects like NISAR and India's astronaut training. His visit highlights the growing global interest in space exploration.

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) head, Bill Nelson, visited Bengaluru and engaged with students at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), alongside meeting Rakesh Sharma, India's first astronaut. Nelson commended Sharma's historic flight and shared inspiring words with students, urging them to aim for the stars.

Sharma's groundbreaking voyage occurred in 1984 aboard the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11, marking India's entry into space exploration. During his 7-day, 21-hour mission, Sharma focused on biomedicine, and remote sensing, and conducted various scientific experiments. His famous reply to then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, "Saare Jahaan Se Achcha," echoed the sentiment of viewing India from space.

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Nelson praised India's advancements in space and planned to visit ISRO's low earth orbit observatory, NISAR, jointly developed by NASA and ISRO. NISAR's launch in 2024 aims to map the Earth's changes, including ecosystems, ice mass, and natural hazards. Nelson emphasized the importance of NISAR in tracking global environmental changes.

He also discussed an agreement between PM Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden to train Indian astronauts for the International Space Station by 2024. Nelson's visit aimed at strengthening NASA-ISRO ties highlighted India's pivotal role in space exploration. India's recent Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft's successful soft landing on the Moon underscored its growing prowess in global space missions.