The US is interested in forming a working group with India for its human space mission programme, former NASA administrator Maj Gen Charles Frank Bolden Jr said on Friday.
Responding to a question at an interaction at the Observer Research Foundation on whether the two sides were also collaborating for the human space project, Bolden said, "I think, (ISRO Chairman) Dr (K) Sivan is communicating with (NASA) administrator (Jim) Bridenstine. He would like to propose that they form another working group singularly on the human space programme."
He said over the last few years, the US had been nudging India to get into the human space project, but "they weren't just ready at that time".
Bolden said now that India has taken a decision in this regard, ISRO has been engaging with multiple players to collaborate on the mission.
Speaking at another interactive session organised by FICCI, Bolden said that his primary role as a private citizen was to encourage international space collaboration and to build upon the robust cooperation between US and Indian scientists and space engineers.
He dwelt on topics ranging from commercialisation of space exploration, challenges facing space policy, space engineering and international space law.
"It's all about shared risks and shared rewards," said a FICCI statement quoting Bolden.
A S Kiran Kumar, Chairman of Physical Research Laboratory of ISRO and Sivan's predecessor said the working relationship between NASA and ISRO had acquired an energetic dimension.
There was now increasing recognition of India's capability on the space front and this confidence helps the two agencies to work shoulder-to-shoulder, Kumar added.
Bolden recently retired from service as the twelfth Administrator of NASA, where he oversaw the safe transition from 30 years of space shuttle missions to a new era of exploration focused on the full utilisation of the International Space Station and space and aeronautics technology development. A former astronaut, General Bolden served aboard four space shuttle missions.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)