President Barack Obama unveiled a new national space policy designed to strengthen US' leadership in space and putting emphasis on greater cooperation with India.
Shortly after the policy was announced Monday, White House officials in a conference call with reporters said the US emphasises a lot on its co-operation with India, noting the
south Asian country has a "very space friendly" programme.
The US greatly values India's emergence as a global player in space and research and aims to deepen its cooperation with India in the field of space, one official said.
"This policy is about the boundless possibilities of the future," Obama said in a statement as the White House unveiled the basic contours of America's New Space Policy.
"That is why we seek to spur a burgeoning commercial space industry, to rapidly increase our capabilities in space while bolstering America's competitive edge in the global economy".
He said the administration is proposing improved observation of the earth, to gain new insights into the environment and the planet.
Noting that the US will engage in expanded
international cooperation in space activities, a fact-sheet issued by the White House said: "The United States will pursue cooperative activities to the greatest extent practicable in areas including space science and exploration, earth
observations, climate change research, and the sharing of environmental data; disaster mitigation and relief; and space surveillance for debris monitoring and awareness".
"We set ambitious goals for NASA: ramping up robotic and human space exploration, with our sights set on Mars and beyond, to improve the capacity of human beings to learn and work safely beyond the Earth for extended periods of time.
"And this policy recognises the importance of inspiring a new generation of young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For, ultimately, our leadership as
a nation - in this or any endeavour - will depend on them," Obama said.
The new policy says that all nations have the right to explore and use space for peaceful purposes, and for the benefit of all humanity, in accordance with international law.