NASA Scientist V R Lalithambika Receives French Space Cooperation Honor

For her contributions to space collaboration between France and India, V R Lalithambika, the former Director of the Directorate of the Human Spaceflight Programme, ISRO, was awarded the highest civilian award in France, the Legion d’Honneur.

On behalf of the French government, Thierry Mathou, the ambassador of France to India, presented her with the award in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

The Legion d’Honneur, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, is the highest civilian honor bestowed by the French Republic for exceptional contributions to the country, irrespective of the winners’ nationality.

According to a press statement from the French Embassy in India, Lalithambika is a prominent scientist of ISRO who specializes in advanced launch vehicle technology. She has worked extensively on many ISRO rockets, most notably the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

She worked closely with the French National Space Agency (Centre national d’études spatiales, or CNES) in 2018 while serving as Director of the Human Spaceflight Programme in relation to India’s Gaganyaan project.

Lalithambika played a key role in the first agreement to be signed by CNES and ISRO for collaboration on human spaceflight, which allowed the two nations to share professionals for space medical research.

The second agreement between France and India about the Indian astronaut program was signed in 2021 when the former French Foreign Affairs Minister was visiting ISRO in Bengaluru, thanks to Lalithambika’s coordination with CNES.

As per the agreement, the French space agency would provide training to India’s flight physicians and CAPCOM mission control teams in France at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, and at the CADMOS center for the development of microgravity applications and space operations at CNES in Toulouse.

“I am delighted to confer the Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur on Dr. V.R. Lalithambika, a distinguished scientist and a “trailblazer in” space technology,” said French Ambassador Mathou. The lengthy history of the Indo-French space alliance has a new, ambitious chapter written by her talents, skills, and unceasing efforts.”

“I sincerely hope that this honour being bestowed upon me will spur more and more women to take up STEM careers and to excel in their chosen fields,” Lalithambika said after accepting the award.