ISRO and ESA Extend Cooperation Agreement Until 2032

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have extended their long-standing cooperation agreement for an additional five years, keeping it active until January 8, 2032.

Agreement Extension: ISRO Chairperson Dr. V. Narayanan and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher signed the agreement on the sidelines of the International Space Summit in Paris.

Expanded Scope: The renewed agreement broadens their partnership to include space weather along with human and robotic exploration.

History of Collaboration: The bilateral space cooperation agreement between ISRO and ESA originally came into force in 2002.

Recent Milestone: In December 2024, ISRO successfully launched ESA's Proba-3 spacecraft using its PSLV-C59 launch vehicle from Sriharikota.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): Established - August 15, 1969; Headquarters - Bengaluru, Karnataka.

European Space Agency (ESA): Established - 1975; Headquarters - Paris, France.

Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC): India's primary spaceport located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Q: Until which year has the ISRO-ESA cooperation agreement been extended?

A: January 8, 2032

Q: What new focus areas were added to the expanded ISRO-ESA partnership?

A: Space weather, human exploration, and robotic exploration

Q: In which year did the initial cooperation agreement between ISRO and ESA come into force?

A: 2002