U.S. Ambassador promotes U.S.-India space engagement

New Delhi : “The United States and India have a long and successful history of space cooperation. . Auspicious would be a good way to describe the cooperation between India and the United States on space science.” Ambassador Richard R. Verma said these words almost a year ago, and they still hold true as he looks to welcome a number of key visitors this month who will lead several engagements to enhance the already impressive U.S.-India space relationship. “Space has captured the imaginations of people for thousands of years, and it continues to offer a limitless frontier for scientists to study and explore. As we push forward to tackle challenges on Earth, we should remember the importance of space research and exploration to drive innovation and technology development for the benefit of all people – from satellite navigation and smart cities, to water purification technology and medical imaging,” said Richard R. Verma “Space also inspires young minds and sparks passions, encouraging students to study science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) – skillsets that launch high-tech careers and stimulate entrepreneurship. Space, as part of the global commons, is a precious frontier that will allow for the continued advancement of mankind. It is an area in which international cooperation is not only important, it has become a necessity,” he added.As President Barak Obama said “what was once a global competition has long since become a global collaboration.”The United States and India have a long and successful history of space cooperation, beginning in 1963 when India first launched a U.S.-manufactured sounding rocket from Thumba to study Earth’s magnetic equator. In the 1970s, India and NASA conducted the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE).