CONTENTS
International Cooperation
International Cooperation has played a significant role in the implementation of the Indian space programme, especially in the initial phases. India took note of the trends in space technology and application in the developed countries in the early 1960’s that determined the country’s efforts to leapfrog over the conventional approach in several aspects of the national development like communications, monitoring of weather and natural resources. Several countries provided assistance to India in setting up the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in the 1960s, conduct of the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) and Satellite Telecommunication Experiment Project (STEP) in the 70s, remote sensing application experiments and in the launch of India’s experimental satellites. As India achieved successes in the areas of communication and remote sensing satellites, launch vehicles and applications of space technology, many avenues have opened up for cooperation with major space agencies, for sharing India’s experience with other developing countries and also to market products and services from other countries.
India has always recognised that space has dimensions beyond national considerations, which can only be addressed along with international partners. Climate, environmental degradation, depletion of natural resources in contrast to increasing population, etc, need to be looked at these issues from a global, rather than a national point of view. Also, in the new world of increasing costs and commercial competition, international cooperation can accomplish more than what can be achieved by individual countries, by sharing of resources and efforts. Another area, where every space agency has to make its contribution, is in the generation and implementation of regulations and legislation dealing with space activities through international bodies such as the United Nations.
DOS has agreements or memoranda
of understanding with several countries and space agencies. These include:
Australia, Brunei, Canada, European Space Agency, France, Germany, Hungary,
Indonesia, Peru, Russia, Syria, Sweden, Italy, Norway, U.K., U.S.A.,
and Ukraine. During the year, MOU’s were signed with China and Thailand
and the MOU with ESA, renewed.
ISRO and the French National
Space Agency (CNES) have entered the Phase-B of the joint satellite mission,
"Megha Tropiques", which is aimed at the study of the tropical
atmosphere and climate. The mission envisages joint development of scientific
instruments to be carried on a French satellite platform (Proteus) and
the satellite will be launched by India’s PSLV
in 2006.
The Modular Opto-electronic Scanner (MOS) instrument from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) which was flown on the Indian Remote Sensing satellite, IRS P3, launched on India’s PSLV is continuing to provide valuable data. The data is being received and analysed by scientists in India, USA, Germany and other European countries. Other major programmes involving cooperation with space agencies and commercial tie-ups with private operators are under consideration. India’s PSLV is also being considered for launch of small and medium class of satellites into different orbits on cooperative and commercial basis.
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India plays an active role in several international bodies such as the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), the international COSPAS-SARSAT system for search and rescue operations, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the Committee |
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Megha-Tropiques (artist’s concept) |
on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), the
Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the Inter Agency Debris Coordination
Committee (IADC), the Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG), the Coordinating
Group on Meteorological Satellites (CGMS), the International Global Observing
Strategy (IGOS), the International Space University (ISU), the Asian Association
for Remote Sensing (AARS) and the International Society for Photogrammetry
and Remote Sensing (ISPRS).
Sharing of Experience in Space
(SHARES) is a scheme that DOS has set up under which training in different
applications of space technology is being provided to scientists from
developing countries. According to the general arrangement under this
scheme, selected candidates are provided with living expenditure and allowances
by DOS, while the international travel is borne by the candidate’s country. The Centre for Space Science
and Technology Education for Asia and the Pacific (CSSTE-AP) has been
set up in India under the initiative of the UN Office for Outer Space
Affairs (UN OOSA) and offers ten-month post-graduate diploma courses in
Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (every year starting
in October), Satellite Communication (every alternate year starting in
July), Satellite Meteorology and Global Climate (every alternate year
starting in July) and Space and Atmospheric Studies (every alternate year
starting in July). Following the course, candidates have the opportunity
to carry out research in their own country for one year leading to the
award of a Master’s Degree from the Andhra University. There are several
international agencies apart from the Government of India providing support
for candidates participating in the CSSTE-AP courses. 