NISAR Mission

Why in news?

• Recently, NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) has received a send-off ceremony at the NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, USA.

About NISAR Mission:

• NISAR has been built by space agencies of the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014.
• It is expected to be launched in January 2024 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre into a near-polar orbit.
• NISAR will be the first radar of its kind in space to systematically map Earth, using two different radar frequencies (L-band and S-band) to measure changes in our planet's surface less than a centimeter across.
• The satellite will operate for a minimum of three years.
• It is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory.
• NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days.

Features:

• It is a 2,800 kilograms satellite consisting of both L-band and S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
• What NASA contributes?
  • NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store data, and a payload data subsystem
• What ISRO contributes?
  • ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) launch system and spacecraft.
  • S band radars operate on a wavelength of 8-15 cm and a frequency of 2-4 GHz.
  • Because of the wavelength and frequency, they are not easily attenuated. This makes them useful for near and far range weather observation.
• It has a 39-foot stationary antenna reflector, made of a gold-plated wire mesh; the reflector will be used to focus “the radar signals emitted and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure.
  • By using SAR, NISAR will produce high-resolution images. SAR is capable of penetrating clouds and can collect data day and night regardless of the weather conditions.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding NISAR, a satellite recently in news:

1. It’s a joint project between India and Japan.

2. It is primarily an earth observation satellite.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer