Nair announces the decision in Bangalore on Saturday. (AFP)

Bangalore, June 20: A new era in Indo-US collaborative space projects appears a distinct possibility as policy makers, scientists and executives of key companies meet at a five-day conference here to evolve a common strategy.

The prospect of an Indian astronaut hitching a ride on a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) space shuttle may feature during discussions at the conference that begins tomorrow.

A US official said the summit, India-United States conference on space science, applications and commerce — strengthening and expanding cooperation, would mark a “watershed” in Indo-US space ties.

“It symbolises our coming together again for the benefit of both countries. More than 150 people from the United States are coming for the conference,” Marco di Capua, counsellor for science, environment, technology and health affairs at the US Embassy, New Delhi, said.

“Everything is possible. Isro (Indian Space Research Organisation) could bring up the request of an Indian astronaut and Nasa could consider it,” he said, adding that US sanctions on Isro, imposed in 1998 after the Pokhran explosions, were a thing of the past.

Di Capua said the US administration has acknowledged Isro’s achievements and would not object if it imported critical components or subsystems.

The counsellor said a vision statement would be unveiled at the end of the conference with details on specific areas of co-operation. The US policy makers will be led by Kenneth Juster, under-secretary of commerce, and a number of representatives from Nasa and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. American astronauts Sandra Magnus and John P. Harrison will also address the conference.

Some of the US firms that are scheduled to participate are Boeing, Raytheon, Panamsat, Intelsat, Northrop Grumman, Space Imaging, Orbimage and Qualcomm.

The post-Pokhran sanctions have embarrassed the US after Isro overcame the hurdles and emerged a key player in the space arena. Asked if the sanctions had failed to adversely impact the Indian space programme and if the US would again try and armtwist India, di Capua said: “I am afraid I cannot answer the question in front of cameras.”

Isro chairman G. Madhavan Nair said a roadmap would be drawn up at the conference to bolster Indo-US space ties. “We will identify common projects that will help serve humanity. The unmanned mission to Moon planned by Isro would also figure in the discussions. We hope we will be able to draw positive results,” he said.