ISRO Invited to Join NASA’s Moon Base Program: ‘Mankind’s Next Giant Leap’

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has received an invitation from NASA to join its proposed Moon Base programme as a giant leap in a country's space programme.

It is being designed as a science base on the Moon, and is anticipated to be a major stepping stone on the path to crewed Mars exploration.

The US Embassy in India announced that the Moon Base will be humanity's first outpost on the Moon and will help to catalyse "new advances in lunar science.

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“Mankind’s next giant leap is underway! NASA is building a Moon Base: humanity’s first outpost on the Moon," the US Embassy in India said in its post. It added that the base would support lunar scientific research and help prepare for crewed missions to Mars.

Mankind's next giant leap is underway! @NASA is building a Moon Base: humanity's first outpost on the Moon. The base will drive lunar scientific breakthroughs and prepare for crewed missions to Mars. Check out the trailer and stay tuned as a big announcement drops soon.

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— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) August 11, 2026

The base will enable lunar scientific studies and be used to prepare for crewed flights to Mars, it added.

The announcement is made as India and the United States are increasingly cooperating in space exploration.

“NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base program, deepening the U.S.-India deep space partnership!" Gor wrote on X.

NASA has invited @ISRO to join its Moon Base program, deepening the U.S.-India deep space partnership! The news came as @StateDept and @NASA co-chaired the 9th Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bengaluru, advancing the ????????-???????? TRUST initiative. https://t.co/qLbhitmHCO

— Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) August 11, 2026

NASA's offer to ISRO will enhance the collaboration between the two agencies in space exploration, said Ambassador Sergio Gor of the U.S. to ISRO.

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The development was announced in the 9th Civil Space Joint Working Group meeting in Bengaluru co-chaired by the US State Department and the NASA, he said.

The discussion was on further strengthening the cooperation under the US-India TRUST initiative and enhancing cooperation between the two countries in civil space activities.

The invitation coincides with both India and the US's aspirations to go beyond Earth orbit. India has been keen on more ambitious lunar and manned spaceflight missions while NASA is building a long-term plan for maintaining a human outpost around and on the Moon as a precursor to Mars.

The US Embassy also revealed a big announcement to come regarding the Moon Base, stating that more details will be released soon.

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