Gaganyaan project: France to help Isro in the human space programme

Joint constellation of ocean-surveying satellites is also under study

The Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), a government agency responsible for shaping and implementing France’s space policy in Europe, will share its experience with Isro in the latter's space crew transport. 

The Rs 90-billion Gaganyaan project, a human spaceflight programme set for 2022, was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month.

Speaking on the sidelines of Bengaluru Space Expo 2018, organised by CII and Antrix, Jean-Yvee Le All, President, CNES said that through the implementing arrangement, signed with Isro, France will share its experience in space crew transport. 

This arrangement will notably encompass space medicine and crew life support. It may be noted last year France launched Proxima mission with a French astronaut to the International Space Station. 

"We will also be able to talk about launchers," he said.

Space cooperation between France and India on Thursday reached the level of a strategic partnership, a partnership that is boosting two nations' economies and strengthening the security, he added.

Jean-Yvee Le All said a revolution is underway in the field of launchers as decreasing costs are making it easier to get into space. 

Ariane 5, Vega and India's GSLV and PSLV are today the best launchers in the world, but to stay competitive we must start preparing the technologies for the future launchers now, said the CNES President.

"CNES and Isro have both set up programmes to boost and fund new space players, and now they are working to forge closer ties between the French and Indian ecosystems."

More than 15 years ago, CNES and ISRO began developing a fleet of French-Indian satellites dedicated to climate applications. Megha-Tropiques and SARAL-AItiKa are delivering precious operational information for forecasting monsoons and managing drinking water. 

The French-Indian Trishna infrared remote-sensing mission, currently in development, will add to the range of applications that are going to prove vital to our societies.

A joint constellation of ocean-surveying satellites is under study. In 2019, ISRO will be launching the Oceansat-3 satellite carrying CNES's Argos instrument to collect environmental data and track wildlife.