Why in News?
The NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, launched in July, has officially entered its final science phase, where it will begin regular science operations, data calibration, and global land monitoring.
Description:
What is NISAR?
- A joint NASA–ISRO Earth observation satellite using dual-frequency SAR (L-band + S-band).
- First satellite to combine these two radars for global environmental monitoring.
- Launched on July 30, 2025, aboard ISRO’s GSLV-F16 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
- NISAR data will be made openly available for global scientific use.
Current Phase: The science phase begins at the end of commissioning and continues until the end of the 5-year mission life.
Key Features:
A. Dual SAR Capability:
- ISRO’s S-band SAR
- NASA’s L-band SAR
This unique combination allows NISAR to penetrate vegetation and soil, providing high-resolution data on surface changes with centimetre-level accuracy, even under cloud cover or darkness.
B. Satellite Specifications:
- 12-metre antenna reflector (one of the biggest radar antennas launched).
- NISAR operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 743 km, with a repeat cycle of 12 days, enabling it to map the entire Earth’s surface systematically.
Applications:
- Monitoring earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides
- Tracking glacier and ice sheet dynamics
- Agricultural yield estimation & soil moisture
- Measuring forest biomass → crucial for climate models
- Mapping coastal changes, wetlands, flooding
- Global carbon cycle & land-use change studies
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