India Launches NISAR Satellite
Subject: Science & Technology
India successfully launched NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), the first joint Earth-observation satellite mission between ISRO and NASA, for advanced environmental monitoring and disaster management.
Launch Details
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Launcher: GSLV-F16 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle).
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Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
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Satellite mass: 2,392 kg.
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Orbit: Sun-synchronous polar orbit (first time GSLV used for this purpose).
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Passes over the same part of the Earth at the same local solar time on each pass.
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Orbit injection: Completed 18 minutes post-launch.
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Mission life: 5 years.
Unique Features & Technology
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Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR):
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L-band radar (NASA) + S-band radar (ISRO).
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12-metre unfurlable mesh reflector antenna (developed by NASA).
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SweepSAR technology: Ensures wide swath (242 km) + high spatial resolution.
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Imaging capability: All-weather, day-and-night, at 12-day intervals.
Applications
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Disaster management: Detecting ground deformation, ice sheet movement, landslides, and supporting earthquake & flood monitoring.
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Environmental monitoring: Crop mapping, soil moisture tracking, vegetation dynamics, surface water & shoreline changes, storm characterization.
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Defence & strategic use: Ship detection, sea ice classification, and coastal surveillance.
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Climate tracking: Long-term environmental and resource mapping.
Collaborative Contributions
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NASA (via JPL):
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Built L-band SAR, radar antenna reflector, antenna boom, and engineering payload.
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Confirmed signal acquisition post-launch.
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ISRO:
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Built spacecraft bus (modified I3K architecture), S-band SAR, solar arrays, and launch vehicle.
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Mission Phases
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Launch Phase: GSLV-F16 placed NISAR in orbit.
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Deployment Phase (Day 10): 12-metre reflector antenna deployed using multi-stage boom.
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Commissioning Phase: System testing & calibration.
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Science Phase: Full-scale Earth observation & data collection.
Significance
NISAR strengthens India’s disaster preparedness, agriculture and water management, and climate monitoring. It also represents a landmark in Indo-US space collaboration, combining NASA’s radar technology with ISRO’s cost-effective launch capabilities.
