Gaganyaan: ISRO signs agreement with France

The Indian Space Research Organisation recently signed an agreement with the French Space Agency CNES. CNES is National Centre for Space Studies. CNES stands for Centre National d’etudes Spatiales. According to the agreement, CNES is to help India in its first Human Space Mission called the Gaganyaan.

About the Agreement

• The French Space Agency is to supply with space equipment to the Indian crew. According to France, these equipment were tested and are still operating in the International Space Station.
• The CNES will also supply fireproof carry bags to shield equipment from radiation and shock.
• Under the agreement, CNES will train Indian flight physicians and CAPCOM mission control teams in France. The training is to be held at the CADMOS centre and at the European Astronaut Centre. CAPCOM is Capsule Communicator. It is the spacecraft communicator.
• CNES will also exchange information on food packaging and nutrition programme.

India-France in Space Relations

• India and France share a robust ties in the area of space cooperation. The first space agreement between the countries was signed in 1964.
• India is to launch joint Oceansat 3-Argo mission in 2021. It will track movement of ships globally and particularly those ships moving in the Reunion Islands of France in the Indian Ocean Region.
• India and France have agreed to work on inter-planetary missions to Venus and Mars.

Agreements with other countries

India had already signed agreements with Russia to train four astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission. India is also in talks with Australia to have a ground station for the Gaganyaan mission at the Cocos island.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2021