ISRO-NASA joint mission NISAR Satellite to be launched in 2023

The ISRO-NASA Joint Mission NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite, which aims to measure changes in the earth’s surface globally using advanced radar images, is scheduled to be launched in early 2023.

Highlights

• Will be launched in early 2023
• NISAR is a joint Earth observation mission between ISRO and NASA, used for global observation of the entire earth, including the polar cryosphere and the Indian Ocean region.
• This is a dual-band (L-band and S-band) radar imaging mission with full polarimetric and interferometric modes of operation for observing small changes in land, vegetation, and cryosphere.

Developing NISAR

NASA is developing L-band SAR and related systems, while ISRO is developing S-band SAR, spacecraft bus, launch vehicle, and related launch services.

Objectives of the mission

The main scientific goal of this mission is to improve understanding of the effects of climate change on the planet’s changing ecosystems, terrestrial and coastal processes, land deformation, and the cryosphere. NISAR is one of the important cooperation projects between ISRO and NASA. India and the United States agreed to this mission during then US President Barack Obama’s visit to India in the year 2015.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2021