The cooperation of NASA with ISRO remains intact, chief of the US space agency James Bridenstine has said, days after he criticised India and termed its anti-satellite weapon test a “terrible thing” for creating about 400 pieces of orbital debris.
In a letter to ISRO Chairman K Sivan, NASA Administrator Bridenstine said “based on the guidance received from the White House”, he looks forward continuing to work with ISRO on a host of issues including human space flights.
“As part of our partnership with you, we will continue to work on issues using the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group, Planetary Science Working Group, US India Earth Science Working Group, and the Heliophysics Working Group,” Bridenstine said.
In his letter, Bridenstine says he recently wrote to ISRO about the suspension of cooperation on human space flight.
“Recently, we sent you a letter indicating a suspension of activities under the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group,” he wrote.
From the April 4 letter, it appears that after the White House weighing in, the cooperation remains intact.
The letter comes days after the NASA chief in a town hall meeting criticised India’s anti-satellite missile (ASAT) test because of the debris it generated in the space and its potential threat to the International Space Station.