(Rpting with changes in para three)

Bangalore, May 9 (UNI) Marking a major milestone in Indo-US Cooperation in Space marred earlier by sanctions and denials, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today signed an MoU to include two US scientific instruments onboard India's first Lunar mission Chandrayaan-I, to be launched early 2008.

The US Payloads were a Mini Synthetic Aperture Radar and a Moon Mineralogy Mapper. The payloads would join four other payloads from Europe besides Indian instruments that would throw new light on the lunar surface paving way for studies on the evolution of moon.

ISRO played host to the visit of a NASA head after three rpt three decades when Dr Michael Griffin stepped into the facility of the ISRO Satellite Centre and signed the Mou along with ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair. Dr Griffin would later in the day visit the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thiruvananthapuram for a first hand information on Indian space technological advancement and capabilities.

Mr Nair said the development of Chandrayaan-1 satellite was on course and the satellite would be launched as scheduled during early 2008 atop a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space port at Sriharikota.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Griffin said, ''It is my hope and belief that as we extend the reach of human civilisation throughout the solar system, the US and India will be partner on many more technologically challenging and scientifically rewarding projects.'' He said '' I very much look forward to the opportunities to see first hand India's impressive space facilities and learn about your remarkable work.'' Dr Nair said ''ISRO looks forward to several more cooperative mission as we have always believed that together we can achieve more.'' The inclusion of US instruments has given a fillip to the Indo-US space cooperation, which dates back to the very beginning of an Indian space programme.

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