Space MAITRI Mission

28.06.2024

Space MAITRI Mission

 Why in the news?   

Recently, the Australian government entered into an $18 million memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the space MAITRI mission.

About Space MAITRI Mission:

• Space MAITRI (Mission for Australia-India's Technology, Research and Innovation), represents a major step forward in the strategic partnership between the two nations in the space domain.
• It aims to foster closer ties between commercial, institutional and governmental space organizations from India and Australia.
• It focuses on debris management and sustainability, aligning with both nations' core values and objectives in promoting responsible space operations and mitigating the growing threat of space debris.
• Under this agreement, NewSpace India Limited will launch Australia’s Space Machines Company's second Optimus spacecraft in 2026.
• The 450kg Optimus spacecraft, the largest Australian-designed and built spacecraft to date, will be launched on ISRO's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

Key facts about NewSpace India Limited

• It is a commercial arm under Department of Space(DoS), Government of India.
• It was incorporated in March 2019 and was set up to take high technology space-related activities in India.
• Under the new space policy reforms announced by the Government of India in June 2020, NSIL is to undertake operational satellite missions on a “demand-driven” model.
• They are responsible to build, launch, own and operate the satellite and provide services to customers.
• It is headquartered in Bengaluru.

                                                               Source: Financial Express

Ques :- Consider the following statements with reference to the Space MAITRI mission:

Statement-I

 It is an initiative between NewSpace India Limited and Australia.

Statement-II

 It aims to foster closer ties between commercial, institutional, and governmental space organizations.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.

Answer A