The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered a significant collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) to advance Earth observation missions. This agreement, announced on Saturday, promises to enhance joint calibration, validation activities, and scientific studies.
The agreement, formally titled ‘ESA–ISRO Arrangement concerning Joint Calibration and Validation Activities and Scientific Studies for Earth Observation Missions,’ was signed virtually on March 4 by ISRO Scientific Secretary M Ganesh Pillai and ESA Director for Earth Observation, Simonetta Cheli. This initiative reinforces a relationship that has flourished since 1978.
Highlighting the importance of the collaboration, ESA’s Cheli noted its relevance for future Earth observation missions like the FLEX mission, designed to advance understanding of vegetation biology. Pillai emphasized the diverse areas of cooperation, including Earth observation, navigation, and support for India’s space missions, with ESA backing missions like Chandrayaan and Aditya-L1.