December 16, 1997
 

Department of Space (DOS) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) of India today (December 16,1997) signed, in Washington, a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanographic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) of USA for scientific cooperation in the areas of earth and atmospheric sciences.  Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Secretary, Department of Space and Prof. V.S. Ramamurthy, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology signed the MOU on behalf of India and Mr. Daniel Goldin, Administrator, NASA and Dr. D. James Baker, Administrator, NOAA, signed the MOU on behalf of the USA in the presence of Ambassador of India to the US, Mr. Naresh Chandra.  The MOU envisages exchange of data received from the Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) of India's INSAT satellites and the data received from the US research and operation satellite systems including Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES).  Cooperation in the analysis of the satellite data, meteorological modeling and forecasting techniques including those related to monsoons and cyclones is also covered under the MOU.