A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Voyager Space, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Department of Space, and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) to examine the possibility of using the ISRO's Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft to maintain Starlab.  Starlab is a first-of-its-kind, continuously crewed, free-flying space station.

IN-SPACe director-promotions Vinod Kumar told TOI, “The MoU was signed between us, IN-SPACe, and HSFC (Human Space Flight Centre) on the second day (July 7) of the G20 SELM (Space Economy Leaders Meeting) in Bengaluru. IN-SPACe will work to explore further opportunities and enable collaborations onboard Starlab.”

The goal is to collaboratively investigate the use of the ISRO Gaganyaan spacecraft for crewed missions to the Starlab station. In addition, Voyager and IN-SPACe will look for further chances for collaboration with other players in the Indian space ecosystem, such as academic institutions, business organizations, and governmental organizations.

“We are thrilled to join hands with ISRO and IN-SPACe to explore the utilization of the Gaganyaan spacecraft for Starlab,” said Clay Mowry, Chief Revenue Officer, Voyager. “This collaboration creates opportunities for joint exploration, research, and commercial endeavours across Voyager’s enterprise and Indian space entities. We are eager to leverage the potential of the Indian space ecosystem and contribute to the advancement of space exploration.”

“ISRO is excited about this technical collaboration with Voyager Space,” added Mr. Mohan M, Director, Human Space Flight Centre, ISRO. “The collaboration between our organizations aligns with our future research goals, particularly in the field of microgravity experiments. We believe that this partnership will pave the way for groundbreaking advancements and mutual benefits in the realm of space exploration.”

“We are pleased to facilitate this collaboration between Voyager Space and the Indian space ecosystem,” said Dr. Vinod Kumar, Director, Promotion Directorate, IN-SPACe. “IN-SPACe will actively work towards exploring opportunities and enabling collaborations onboard Starlab. This MoU declares our commitment to fostering innovation, knowledge exchange, and growth within the Indian space industry.”

Voyager Space and the Indian space ecosystem are both pushed forward to new frontiers of discovery and technical development by this partnership.

Image source: Times of India