The press release is reproduced below:

Dec. 1, 2006

David Mould/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1898/1600

RELEASE: 06-360

NASA Administrator Speaks to Distinguished Royal Society


LONDON – NASA Administrator Michael Griffin on Friday called the exploration of space “the boldest human adventure yet conceived” and emphasized the importance of international collaboration in journeys to the moon, Mars and other destinations in the solar system.

“The exploration and development of the space frontier is, truly, the most technically challenging endeavor of our generation and many to follow,” Griffin told the British Royal Society in an address marking its Anniversary Day. "But in carrying it forward, we are building on the heroic exploits of our forbears in their own missions of human exploration and scientific discovery."

In addition to addressing the Royal Society, Griffin earlier helped present its prestigious Copley Medal to famed physicist Stephen Hawking of Cambridge University for his contributions to theoretical cosmology. The British Royal Society is the world's oldest scientific academy in continuous existence, and has been at the forefront of scientific research and exploration since it was founded in 1660.

Comparing future human expeditions to Mars and other destinations in the solar system with the journeys of 17th and 18th century European explorers, which expanded their nations' reach and influence in the world but often at a high cost, including loss of life, Griffin said, "We must be resolute in our convictions, and despite setbacks, we must recognize that progress through human exploration and scientific discovery is a goal worthy of the costs and risks of the enterprise."

Griffin called for collaboration among nations in traveling to the moon, Mars and other destinations in the solar system and noted the important contributions of international cooperation in such technological developments as global communications and navigation systems.

Of about 60 ongoing space and Earth science missions, over half have some form of international participation. "Two-thirds of all NASA missions currently under development incorporate international partners. And of course, NASA's premier human spaceflight program, the development of the International Space Station, is an effort involving some 15 nations," he said. "I believe with all my heart that, with the exploration of space, we are embarked upon the boldest human adventure yet conceived,” he said. “We are limited only by our imagination, ambition, ingenuity, persistence and leadership."

The medal Griffin presented to Hawking yesterday was flown into orbit aboard the space shuttle Discovery in July at the request of astronaut Piers Sellers, a native of England.

"Stephen Hawking has become a household name, known as a brilliant physicist by people who have no other knowledge of physics," Griffin said. "Through his contributions to the understanding of time and space, ranging from black holes to worm holes, he has earned a reputation as one of the most imaginatively perceptive scientists of all time. We at NASA are honored to have had a part in making Dr. Hawking’s receipt of the famed Copley Medal a truly special occasion, by presenting to him this medal, flown in space aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-121."

First awarded by the Royal Society in 1731, the Copley Medal pre-dates the Nobel Prize by 170 years. It is awarded for outstanding achievements in scientific research and has been awarded to such scientific giants as Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Albert Einstein and Louis Pasteur.

For additional information about the Royal Society, the Copley Medal, and the presentation's historic trip into space, visit the Internet at:

http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/hawking_copley.html

For the complete transcript of the administrator's remarks, go to:

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/speeches/index.html

- end -

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Source: NASA Press Release 06-360

The British National Space Centre (BNSC) press release is reproduced below:

01 December 2006



The new Minister for Science and Innovation, Malcolm Wicks (right) and BNSC Director General, David Williams (left), met Dr Michael Griffin, the Head of NASA (centre), yesterday.

The meeting was an opportunity for them to reaffirm the strong links between the US and UK in space science and exploration, which has recently seen the launch of the NASA STEREO mission which carried instrumentation built by UK scientists.

It was also an opportunity to discuss other potential areas for future collaboration, including the UK’s possible role in lunar exploration.

Mr Wicks said:

“It’s exciting for us to discuss with NASA the possibilities for UK involvement in lunar exploration.

“The UK is a world leader in the market of small affordable satellites. Future collaborations could potentially have a strong commercial return for UK companies in this area.

“This could be the world’s largest science and technology programme. We will be considering whether there is an opportunity to build a partnership with the US. We want UK businesses and scientists to benefit from this programme.”

A global space exploration strategy is being developed by the world’s space agencies. It will coordinate worldwide efforts to return to the Moon and to explore the solar system with robots, so preparing for the historic first human mission to Mars.

Source: BNSC Press Release

From left to right:

ESA Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain, the Head of the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation (Roscosmos), Anatoly Perminov, and European Commission Director General Heinz Zourek met today, 21 March 2007, at Roscosmos in Moscow within the framework of the Tripartite Space Dialogue between the European Commission, European Space Agency and Roscosmos.

Credits: ESA

21 March 2007
Europe and Russia are strengthening their cooperation in space. The Head of the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation (Roscosmos), Anatoly Perminov, ESA Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain, and European Commission Director General Heinz Zourek met today at Roscosmos in Moscow within the framework of the Tripartite Space Dialogue between the European Commission, European Space Agency and Roscosmos.

Set up in March 2006 in Brussels, the Space Dialogue initiative encompasses space applications (satellite navigation, Earth observation and satellite communications), access to space (launchers and future space transportation systems), space science and space technology development.

Mr Dordain, Director General of ESA, said, “Space cooperation is an important element in overall Europe-Russia cooperation. This meeting has proved very useful as concrete work plans have been established�.

He added that, “The cooperation between Europe and Russia in the area of launchers should serve as a model for cooperation in other areas such as exploration, space science and space applications. If the two sides pool their resources, the result will be even more outstanding than it is today�.

The work plans that stemmed from this meeting highlight, among other things, actions in the area of Earth observation, satellite navigation and space communication. In the area of Earth observation, for instance, the parties engaged in setting up a specific data exchange mechanism; in the field of satellite navigation, compatibility and interoperability between Russian and European systems will be addressed and, concerning space communications, the parties agreed to promote applications reaching out to other entities that are not necessarily involved in space.

This artist’s view shows the two BepiColombo orbiters (MPO and MMO) mounted on top of their transfer module (cruise configuration).

For its journey to destination BepiColombo will cleverly use the gravity of the Moon, Earth, Venus and Mercury itself in combination with the thrust provided by solar-electric propulsion (SEP). During the voyage to Mercury, the two orbiters and transfer module, consisting of solar-electric propulsion and chemical propulsion units, will form one single composite spacecraft.

Once approaching Mercury, the transfer module will be separated and the composite spacecraft will use conventional rocket engines and the so-called 'weak stability boundary capture technique' to bring it into polar orbit around the planet. When the MMO orbit is reached, the MPO will separate and lower its altitude by means of chemical propulsion to its operational orbit. Scientific investigations will go on for at least one Earth year.

Credits: ESA - C.Carreau

Cooperation in space science is advancing satisfactorily. Russia will provide a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer instrument to ESA's BepiColombo mission. Russian scientists have also been invited to respond together with European scientists to the call for proposals for the first planning cycle of the new Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 recently issued by ESA.

Cooperation in the technology field will see the parties assessing potential domains of common interest and identifying concrete opportunities.

Launch of Soyuz LV from the launching pad at Baikonur cosmodrome.

Credits: Starsem

Cooperation in the launchers domain will see the two sides concentrate on the implementation of Soyuz launches from the Guiana Space Centre as well as looking into technologies for future launchers. Europe and Russia are also involved in discussions related to the next generation of crew vehicles with possible ESA involvement in the development of an Advanced Crew Transportation Vehicle to be tabled for decision at the ESA Council at ministerial level in 2008.

To facilitate the implementation of cooperation, the European Commission, in the context of the launch of the EU’s 7th Research Framework Programme, will offer to provide targeted information on space-related programme topics to interested Russian space experts.


Note:

This Tripartite Space Dialogue was set up at the St Petersburg Summit in May 2003, when the EU and Russia decided to create four ‘common spaces’ in the framework of the EU/Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement: common economic space; freedom, security and justice; cooperation in the field of external security; as well as research and education. The agreement was subsequently signed at the Moscow summit in May 2005. Within the Common Economic Space, cooperation in space was identified as a priority sector.

Source: ESA - News

2 April 2007

ESA & NASA managers sign expanded cooperation agreement in Washington, DC, 21 March 2007. L: Gaele Winters, head of ESA's Operations and Infrastructure Directorate. R: William H. Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations.

Credits: ESA

On 21 March ESA and NASA signed an agreement in Washington, DC, extending the two agencies' long-standing cooperation in the areas of satellite tracking, spacecraft navigation and mission operations.

The agencies' new "Network and Operations Cross-support" agreement covers the ongoing provision to each other of services for missions where no specific Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is in place, typically due to the short-term nature or limited scope of the support.

This type of support has been provided in the past, but was limited only to the sharing of ground tracking stations and had to be arranged for each mission separately through a Letter of Agreement (LoA), which was a long process.

Agreement covers tracking, navigation and systems sharing

The new agreement was signed in Washington, DC, by William H. Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations, and Gaele Winters, ESA Director for Operations and Infrastructure.

The agreement constitutes a major milestone in the long-standing cooperative relations between ESA and NASA, and covers cross-support in the following areas:

• Bi-directional Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) services
• Space Navigation, including services such as determining spacecraft trajectories and Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) services
• Mission Operations and Ground Data Systems services

"The agreement means ESA and NASA can provide each other network support and space operations services more quickly, and this is becoming very significant. The sharing of resources is a sensible and efficient way to achieve enhanced space science value in an era of tight budgets," said Dr Manfred Warhaut, Head of ESA's Mission Operations Department.


Enhanced effectiveness, reduced risk for both agencies

In particular, the bi-directional sharing of TT&C services will enhance effectiveness and reduce risk for both agencies.


This interoperability will benefit both by providing immediate back-up in case a mission's prime ground station is not available due, for example, to local weather interference or earthquakes, by ensuring additional station support during critical mission phases such as launch, orbit entry or manoeuvres, and by expanding station resources when ground tracking coverage might otherwise be missed.

Engineers in the GFCC monitor in detail the status of the equipment at all ESA ground stations (more than 2000 parameters per station) 24 hours/day, 7 days/week; they are also able to swiftly re configure the stations to provide support to a particular spacecraft via a set of predefined commands.

Station controller at work in ESOC's Ground Facilities Control Centre
Very Long Baseline Interferometry refers to accurately locating spacecraft using highly sophisticated signal processing techniques and is achieved using Delta DOR (Delta Differential One-Way Ranging) technology, used by both NASA and ESA.

Since 2005, ESA has installed Delta DOR receivers at both of the Agency's 35-metre antenna deep-space stations, DS1 in New Norcia, Australia, and DS2 in Cebreros, Spain.


The first application of the new agreement is foreseen during the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) for NASA's upcoming Dawn and Phoenix missions. ESA will furnish support via the Agency's Perth and Kourou 15-metre antenna stations.


ESA's tracking stations network - ESTRACK - is a worldwide system of ground stations providing links between satellites in orbit and the Agency's Space Operations Centre (ESOC), in Darmstadt, Germany. The core ESTRACK network comprises 11 terminals sited at eight stations in five countries.

Source: ESA - News

The British National Space Centre (BNSC) press release is reproduced below:

20 April 2007

Ref: 02/07

NASA and the British National Space Centre (BNSC) have signed a historic agreement to jointly study how the two space agencies might work together on future planetary explorations to the Moon and beyond.

A joint team is to be established to conduct a study into specific areas of US-UK potential collaboration involving lunar science and exploration.

Science and Innovation Minister Malcolm Wicks said: "During my recent meeting with NASA's Administrator Dr Michael Griffin, I was keen for the USA and UK to co-operate on exactly this sort of exciting endeavour.

"I am delighted that this important agreement has been signed between our two space agencies which could provide an opportunity to harness the UK's world-class expertise in small satellite and robotic technologies."

The UK space sector is worth £4.8 billion per annum, supports 70,000 jobs and makes an overall contribution to UK GDP of almost £7 billion per annum.

The joint agreement was signed in Washington and marks the successful conclusion of several recent meetings on potential lunar and planetary collaboration.

NOTES

1. A copy of the agreement "Joint Statement of Intent for Co-operation in the Field of Space Exploration" is attached for information.

2. The agreement was signed in Washington DC at 19:00 hours local time, Thursday 19 April 2007. (London is five hours ahead of Washington DC time, so signing took place 00:00 hours British Summer Time Friday 20 April 2007.)

3. The UK has already completed a feasibility study of two robotic mission options to the surface of the Moon focused on exploiting the UK's leadership in small satellites and miniaturised science instruments. MoonRaker, a small propulsive Lander to provide in-situ geological dating, and MoonLITE equipped with missile-shaped penetrators carrying seismometers to investigate the lunar interior and a telecommunications capability to demonstrate high data rate telecoms at the Moon.
These mission options exemplify the UK's expertise in small satellites, robotics and miniaturised instruments. In addition, MoonLITE's telecoms capability could provide a vital contribution to NASA's ambition of establishing a Moon base by 2020.

4. The British National Space Centre (BNSC) is a partnership of nine
Government Departments and research councils which is at the heart of UK efforts to explore and exploit space.
BNSC co-ordinates UK civil space policy to benefit science, enterprise and the environment.

Source: BNSC Press Release

Signature of Memoranda of Understanding for JWST & LISA Pathfinder between NASA and ESA, at the Paris Air Show, Le Bourget, on 18 June 2007.

From left to right : Mr Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator and Mr Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General.

Credits: ESA - S.Corvaja

18 June 2007

ESA PR 25-2007. At a ceremony that took place today at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and NASA Administrator Michael Griffin signed the official agreements that define the terms of the cooperation on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and on the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder mission.

JWST is a mission involving international cooperation between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to investigate the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars and planetary systems.

Although optimised to operate over a different range of wavelengths, JWST is considered to be the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope. It is due for launch in 2013 and will operate for at least five years.

At the heart of the JWST observatory is a large telescope whose primary mirror measures 6.5 metres in diameter (compared to 2.4 metres for Hubble), providing a relatively large field of view.

A set of four sophisticated instruments (including a fine guidance sensor for precision pointing) will combine a superb imaging capability at visible and infrared wavelengths together with various spectroscopic modes to learn more about the chemistry and evolution of the objects populating our universe.

JWST will be operated well outside the Earth’s atmosphere at a point in deep space called the ‘second Lagrangian point’ (L2), located at 1.5 million kilometres in the direction opposite to the sun. From that location, this powerful space observatory promises to revolutionise our view of the cosmos yet again - just as Hubble did.

Real-size model of the JWST spacecraft on display in Dublin, Ireland, in June 2007. The whole JWST team poses in front of it.

Credits: Fennell Photography

Under the agreement, NASA - responsible for the overall management and operations of the JWST mission - builds the spacecraft, the telescope and the platform that will host the instruments. ESA will provide the launch with an Ariane 5 ECA rocket.

NASA will also provide one major instrument, the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), via the University of Arizona. ESA will provide the Near-Infrared spectrograph (NIRSpec) operating over similar wavelengths, with the detectors and slit selector device provided by NASA.


A third onboard instrument, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), is being built by a consortium of nationally-funded European institutions (responsible for the MIRI optical assembly) and NASA, with coordination via ESA. The fourth onboard instrument, the Fine Guidance Sensor/Tuneable Filter Imager (FGS/TFI), will be provided by the CSA.

“The signing of this agreement on the JWST, based on longstanding and consolidated cooperation between ESA and NASA, will once again make history,” said Jean-Jacques Dordain. “In particular, we are very proud to use Ariane 5 to put this great observatory into space.”

“The Hubble Space Telescope has paved the way for such cooperation, with Europe’s astronomers continuing to play their full part in the exploitation of Hubble’s observing time,” Dordain added.

“This Europe/US synergy has enhanced Hubble’s scientific return and provided mutual benefits. I am confident that the ESA/NASA collaboration on JWST will match, if not exceed, the results of our previous joint efforts,” Mr. Dordain concluded.

"We're delighted to have ESA's participation on the James Webb Space Telescope," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. "The tremendous scientific success of the Hubble Space Telescope can be attributed to the cooperative efforts between our two agencies. We expect that, as Hubble's successor, the James Webb Telescope also will make profound astronomical observations and discoveries. When it does, we can be proud that it too is a project based on international cooperation."

LISA Pathfinder will pave the way for the LISA mission by testing in flight the very concept of the gravitational wave detection.

It will put two test masses in a near-perfect gravitational free-fall and control and measure their motion with unprecedented accuracy. This is achieved through state-of-the-art technology comprising the inertial sensors, the laser metrology system, the drag-free control system and an ultra-precise micro-propulsion system.

Credits: Astrium

At today’s signing ceremony, the heads of the two agencies also signed an official agreement on the ESA-initiated Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder mission, currently due for launch in early 2010. LISA Pathfinder is aimed at demonstrating the technologies needed for the planned future joint ESA/NASA LISA mission to detect gravitational waves in space and test the theory of General Relativity.

Under this agreement, ESA will design, develop, launch and operate the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft. A consortium of European scientific institutes will provide the LISA Technology Package (LTP), consisting of two test masses in near-perfect gravitational free-fall and a sophisticated system to measure and control their motion with unprecedented accuracy.

NASA will provide the Disturbance Reduction System Package. The DRS, which will make use of the LTP sensors and metrology capability, is also designed to test drag-free attitude control. The inclusion of both the LTP and DRS packages on board will make it possible to compare and assess the performance of the two types of actuator and relevant software, in preparation for LISA.


Note

The James Webb Space Telescope was formerly known as the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST). NASA and ESA, joined by the CSA, have collaborated on JWST since 1997.

Source: ESA - News

The press release is reproduced below:

June 18, 2007

Dwayne Brown/Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/1979

RELEASE: 07-139

NASA and ESA Sign Agreements for Future Cooperation

PARIS -- At a ceremony held Monday at the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, France, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and European Space Agency (ESA) Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain signed two agreements defining the terms of cooperation on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder mission.

Although it will operate over a different range of wavelengths, the James Webb Space Telescope is considered the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. Its launch is targeted for 2013 and it will operate for at least five years.

The telescope is a mission of international cooperation between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency to investigate the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars and planetary systems.

At the heart of the observatory is a large telescope, which has a primary mirror measuring 21.3 feet in diameter (compared to 7.9 feet for Hubble) that provides a relatively large field of view.

A set of four sophisticated instruments, including a fine guidance sensor for precision pointing, will combine superb imaging capability at visible and infrared wavelengths with various spectroscopic modes to learn about the chemistry and evolution of objects in our universe.

The telescope will operate well outside the Earth's atmosphere at a spot in space called the second Lagrangian point or "L2" located 1 million miles -- or four times farther than the moon's orbit -- in the direction opposite the sun. From this location, the observatory is expected to revolutionize our view of the cosmos as Hubble has.

According to the agreement, NASA is responsible for the overall management and operation of the JWST mission and will build the spacecraft, the telescope and the platform that will house the instruments. ESA will provide an Ariane 5 ECA rocket for the telescope's launch.

NASA also will provide a major instrument, the Near-Infrared Camera, through the University of Arizona, Tucson. ESA will provide the Near-Infrared Spectrograph operating over similar wavelengths. NASA will provide the instrument's detectors, which will measure the wavelengths of light emanating from the stars being observed.

NASA also will provide the microshutters, which are used to select which star in the field of view will be observed by the detectors.

The third instrument on board is the Mid-Infrared Instrument. It is being built through a consortium of nationally funded European institutions, which are responsible for the instrument's optical assembly and NASA, with coordination through ESA. Canada will provide the fourth instrument on board, the Fine Guidance Sensor/Tuneable Filter Imager.

"The signing of this agreement on JWST, based on a long-standing and consolidated cooperation between ESA and NASA, will make history once more," said Dordain. "In particular, we are very proud to use Ariane 5 to put this great observatory into space."

"We're delighted to have ESA's participation on the James Webb Space Telescope," said Griffin. "The tremendous scientific success of the Hubble Space Telescope can be attributed to the cooperative efforts between our two agencies. We expect that, as Hubble's successor, the James Webb Space Telescope also will make profound astronomical observations and discoveries. When it does, we can be proud that it, too, is a project of international cooperation."

At today's ceremony, the leaders of both agencies also signed an official agreement on the ESA-initiated Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder mission, currently targeted for launch in early 2010. LISA Pathfinder is aimed at demonstrating the technologies needed for a planned future joint ESA-NASA LISA mission that will detect gravitational waves in space and test the theory of general relativity.

Under this agreement, ESA will design, develop, launch and operate the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft. A consortium of European scientific institutes will provide the LISA Technology Package, which features a sensor to detect non-gravitational forces on the spacecraft.

NASA will provide the Disturbance Reduction System Package. That package will work in tandem with the technology package and consists of thrusters that produce a minute level of force, combined with control systems and software.

- end -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: NASA Press Release 07-139

The press release is reproduced below:

Dwayne Brown/Melissa Mathews
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/1272
dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov, melissa.mathews-1@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 07-219

NASA Spacecraft to Carry Russian Science Instruments

WASHINGTON - NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos have agreed to fly two Russian scientific instruments on NASA spacecraft that will conduct unprecedented robotic missions to the moon and Mars.

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and Roscosmos head Anatoly Perminov signed agreements in Moscow on Oct. 3 to add the instruments to two future missions: the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled to launch in October 2008, and the Mars Science Laboratory, an advanced robotic rover scheduled to launch in 2009.

Russia's Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will search for evidence of water ice and help understand astronauts' exposure to radiation during future trips to the moon. The instrument will map concentrations of hydrogen that may be found on and just beneath the lunar surface.

Roscosmos’ Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory will measure hydrogen to analyze neutrons interacting with the Martian surface. The principal investigator for both instruments is Igor Mitrofanov of the Institute for Space Research of the Russian Academy of Science.

"Russia's contribution to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Science Laboratory missions continues a rich and long-standing tradition of cooperation between NASA and Russia for scientific research in space," Griffin said. "The Institute for Space Research has a track record of delivering excellent instrumentation, and we are delighted to have international participation on these missions to explore the moon and send a robotic laboratory to Mars."

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will circle the moon for at least a year, obtaining measurements necessary to identify future robotic and human landing sites. It also will look for potential lunar resources and document aspects of the lunar radiation environment.

The Mars Science Laboratory rover is a mobile research platform that will explore a local region of the Martian surface as a potential habitat for past or present life. The rover will carry a suite of highly capable analytic and remote sensing instruments to investigate planetary processes that influence habitability, including the role of water.

For more about NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission and the Mars Exploration Program, visit:


Source: NASA Press Release 07-219

The press release is reproduced below:

Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1979
michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov


RELEASE: 08-033

NASA And India Sign Agreement For Future Cooperation

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - At a ceremony Friday at the Kennedy Space Center's visitor complex, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and Indian Space Research Organization Chairman G. Madhavan Nair signed a framework agreement establishing the terms for future cooperation between the two agencies in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.

"I am honored to sign this agreement with the India Space Research Organization," Griffin said. "This agreement will allow us to cooperate effectively on a wide range of programs of mutual interest. India has extensive space-related experience, capabilities and infrastructure, and will continue to be a welcome partner in NASA's future space exploration activities."

According to the framework agreement, the two agencies will identify areas of mutual interest and seek to develop cooperative programs or projects in Earth and space science, exploration, human space flight and other activities. The agreement replaces a soon-to- expire agreement signed on Dec. 16, 1997, which fostered bilateral cooperation in the areas of Earth and atmospheric sciences.

In addition to a long history of cooperation in Earth science, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization also are cooperating on India's first, mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-1, which will be launched later this year. NASA is providing two of the 11 instruments on the spacecraft: the moon mineralogy mapper instrument and the miniature synthetic aperture radar instrument.

For more information about NASA's programs, visit:


For more information about ISRO's programs, visit:


Source: NASA Press Release 08-033