The Australian and Indian prime ministers have announced the commissioning of infrastructure supporting India’s first crewed spaceflight on Australian soil.

Anthony Albanese and Narendra Modi revealed the completion of temporary tracking infrastructure installed on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in a joint statement last week.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) telemetry, tracking and command terminal will support India’s historic Gaganyaan Human Space Flight Program. Gaganyaan’s goal is to carry three people into low Earth orbit for three days. Success would make India only the fourth country to send astronauts into space through its own program.