India's Space Research Organisation and Canadian Space Agency to Strengthen Space Cooperation

ISRO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) today (March 27, 2003) reaffirming mutual pursuit of international spacecooperation for peaceful purposes while working towards economic and socialdevelopment of both countries. The MOU was signed by Dr K Kasturirangan, Chairman, ISRO, and Dr Marc Garneau, President CSA at Antariksh Bhavan, the Headquarters of ISRO in Bangalore.

"I am pleased to welcome Dr Garneau and his delegation to India and to have signed this Memorandum today", said Dr Kasturirangan, "we share common needs for telecommunications, meteorology, disaster warning as well as natural resources management and environmental monitoring. This renewed cooperation between ISRO and CSA demonstrates our mutual commitment to pursue common projects benefiting both the countries, now and in the future."

"The scope and breadth of India's space programme is impressive", noted Dr Garneau. "The ISRO programme is both ambitious and diversified. The Memorandum signed today lays the framework for continuing cooperation inprojects and activities in which we share a common interest. It recognises the similarities in the objectives and vision of our space programmes and reflects the determination of our organisations to continue to work closely to generate concrete economic, technological and scientific benefits for our citizens and humanity" he said.

It may be noted that Dr Marc Garneau, President CSA, is also an astronaut having flown on US Space Shuttle three times - in 1984, 1996 and 2000. Dr Garneaushared his experience as an astronaut when he was interviewed by four students of Bangalore on Monday, March 24, 2003 which was telecast by Bangalore Doordarshan on March 25, 2003.

The Memorandum signed today will foster the study of cooperative programmes in satellite communications and satellite remote sensing as well as encouraging cooperation in the field of exploration and use of space by the private sector and academia in both countries. Both parties also signed a letter of intentreferring to several projects and activities in which ISRO and CSA have a joint interest. They could include: the possible participation in a Moon Orbitermission, an agreement for providing mutual support for telemetry, tracking and command operations for satellites, Canadian support for the United Nations Centre for Space Science and Technology Education which has been set up by India at Dehra Dun and; collaboration in development of scientific instruments that could be flown on Indian satellites.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) was established in 1989 with its headquarters in Saint-Hubert, Quebec. CSA co-ordinates all aspects of the Canadian space programme. Through its space knowledge, applications and industry development business line, the CSA delivers services involving earth and the environment, space science, human presence in space, satellite communications, space technology, space qualification services, space awareness and education. The CSA is at the fore front of the development and application of space knowledge for the benefit of Canadians and humanity.

Senior Officials of CSA and representatives of the Canadian space industry were present during the signing of MOU today besides senior officials of ISRO.