Under an accord between the countries' space agencies, India's first unmanned lunar mission will carry two scientific payloads from the US agency, Nasa.

Indian officials called the deal a "milestone". The Indian spacecraft is due to be launched in early 2008.

The Nasa instruments will scan the Moon's surface for minerals and ice. Devices from the European Space Agency and Bulgaria will also be on board.

Today is an important milestone in the co-operation between Nasa and Isro Isro Chairman Madhavan Nair

The deal is being seen as another sign of increasingly close ties between Washington and Delhi after years of Cold War suspicion.

Posted by Ryan S. on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 11:34 PM | Permalink |