Paper: GS – III, Subject: Science and Technology, Topic: Space Technology, Issue: NISAR Mission.
Context:
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- NISAR, the most expensive Earth observation satellite ever built, is equipped with two synthetic aperture radars (SARs) operating in different frequency bands.
- This unique capability will enable the satellite to collect comprehensive data and high-resolution images for a wide range of scientific research and applications.
Key Takeaways:
Significance of ISRO-NASA Partnership on NISAR:
- Developing and installing SARs on NISAR involved significant costs, making collaboration between ISRO and NASA beneficial.
- NASA provided the L-band SAR, the 12-meter antenna, GPS control, and other components.
- ISRO contributed the S-band SAR, the rocket, the spacecraft, its sub-systems, and will carry out the launch.
- Both agencies will handle mission operations from their respective ground stations. NASA invested about $1.16 billion in the mission, while ISRO contributed $90 million.
| Launch Details: Launch Date: 30 July 2025 Launch Vehicle: GSLV-F16 (first time a GSLV is being used for sun-synchronous orbit) Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Orbit: Sun-synchronous polar orbit Satellite Mass: 2,392 kg. |
What are Synthetic Aperture Radars (SARs)?
- Radars emit signals in the non-visible spectrum (microwaves or radio waves) and analyze the returning signals to gather information about objects.
- This information includes distance, velocity, composition, and texture.
- SARs are advanced imaging radars used in space, mimicking the power of large ground-based radars.
- NISAR’s 12-meter antenna can produce images with a resolution comparable to a 20-km diameter ground-based antenna.
Benefits and Challenges of NISAR:
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/launch-satellite-nisar-10157057
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