NASA and ISRO cooperation will continue even after Mission Shakti -

New Delhi/Washington: The US space agency NASA had severely criticised the Indian test, of the anti-satellite missile (ASAT). NASA had even prepared to call off the cooperation with ISRO. However, NASA has now announced that it will continue to cooperate with ISRO in space. NASA is claimed to have been forced to make the announcement, under instructions from the White House. Although NASA has been expressing concerns over the space debris created due to the Indian test, ISRO has once again clarified that the waste generated would be automatically destroyed within a span of few days.

India shocked the world with the test of anti-satellite missile and became only the fourth country to acquire the capability after the United States, Russia and China. The US Space organisation, NASA had objected to the test. The American space agency had warned that the debris was spilt into the space endangering the security of the international space station. Albeit, India declared that the test had not violated any international laws. ISRO had also said that the debris created due to the test was in the Low Earth Orbit and therefore, would burn automatically.

Meanwhile, NASA had prepared to cease the cooperation with ISRO following the test. Currently, the United States is collaborating with India in the space research sector and both the countries are working on a joint space mission. In this scenario, the position taken by NASA to withdraw from the collaborations would have been detrimental to the cooperation between the two countries. The White House, the Presidential Residence and the administrative headquarters, therefore, intervened. The instructions received from the White House lead to NASA’s announcement for the continuation of its cooperation with India.

Pentagon, the US defence headquarter had even expressed regret over the objections raised by NASA. Pentagon criticised the NASA allegations as childish.

Since the last week, objections against India had emerged from the United States. A US weekly claimed that India had not shot down the Pakistani F-16 and that the entire fleet was intact. Also, Pakistan had expressed rejoice in response saying that the Indian claim was finally found to be false. Pakistani Prime Minister also criticised India and claimed that the truth had been exposed. The claim, however, made by the US weekly was proved to be false due to the explanation the Indian Air Force had provided. India submitted the proof of the F-16 being downed. Even so, a fighter jet like Mig-21 Bison, shooting down an F-16 is becoming difficult for the United States to digest and it could be detrimental to the US commercial interests. Therefore, the United States is not willing to openly accept the Indian claim. Moreover, some groups in the United States are taking advantage of the fact.