NASA says it will continue to cooperate with ISRO 'as guided to by the White House' after A-SAT debris issue

Days after NASA chief James Bridenstine criticised India and termed its anti-satellite weapon test (ASAT), Mission Shakti, a "terrible thing" for creating about 400 pieces of orbital debris, he wrote a letter saying that cooperation of NASA with ISRO remains intact.

In a letter to ISRO Chairman K Sivan, NASA ministrator Bridenstine said that ‘based on guidance received from White House’, he looks forward continuing to work with ISRO on a host of issues including human flights.

"As part of our partnership with you, we will continue to work on issues using NASA-ISRO Human Flight Working Group, Planetary Science Working Group, US India Earth Science Working Group, and Heliophysics Working Group," Bridenstine said.

He accepted that he wrote a letter to ISRO about suspension of cooperation on human flight.

"Recently, we sent you a letter indicating a suspension of activities under NASA-ISRO Human Flight Working Group. But it appears that after White House weighing in, cooperation remains intact."

NASA chief in a town hall meeting criticised India's anti-satellite missile (ASAT) test that inducted India in list of elite nations namely Russia, China and United States, to have tested this weapon. He claimed that Mission Shakti generated debris in and it can be a potential threat to International Station.

" anti-satellite weapons test by India last week has resulted in about 400 pieces of orbital debris," he said on April 1, ding "that is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris and an apogee that goes above International Station".

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However, Bridenstine said in his letter that: "As we me clear, debris is a serious issue for United States. As it is a growing threat, it is responsibility of all nations who operate in . We will continue to monitor remaining debris from your test as it relates to safety of our human flight activities especially at International Station," he wrote in letter.

(With PTI inputs)