NASA and ISRO Collaborate on Groundbreaking Earth Observation Satellite
Historic Collaboration in Space
NASA and ISRO are set to make history together in space. The two major space powers are joining forces to enhance our understanding of Earth. You might wonder what new insights we can gain since we have been observing our planet for years. The NISAR satellite will be capable of detecting even the slightest changes on Earth's surface. Equipped with an advanced synthetic aperture radar, it can capture high-resolution images of the Earth, cutting through clouds regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. This means we will receive unprecedented insights into the dynamics of our planet.
Launch Details of NISAR
ISRO is scheduled to launch the historic NISAR satellite, developed in collaboration with NASA, at 5:40 PM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This mission is not only significant from a technological standpoint but also showcases India's capabilities in global space engineering. With a budget of $1.5 billion, NISAR is the most expensive Earth observation satellite to date.
What Makes NISAR Unique?
The launch will utilize the GSLV Mark II, which weighs 420 tons and stands 51 meters tall. Notably, it will feature a domestically produced cryogenic engine. NISAR itself weighs 2,393 kilograms and is equipped with a special 12-meter antenna that can extend up to nine meters. It will provide images covering a distance of 240 kilometers every 12 days and is capable of capturing images of the entire Earth. This mission is expected to operate for five years, and the data collected will be freely available to everyone. The total cost of developing NISAR is approximately ₹13,000 crores.
Why is NISAR Called Earth's Guardian?
NISAR is special for several reasons. Once operational, it will be the most powerful Earth observation satellite in space, generating data and high-resolution images that will aid research across various fields. It is the first satellite to feature two synthetic aperture radars (SAR) operating in different frequency bands, a technological achievement that enhances its power and utility. Additionally, it holds the title of the most expensive satellite ever built.
Global Attention on the India-US Joint Mission
The collaboration between these two leading space agencies has significantly increased the mission's costs. The L-band SAR, 12-meter antenna, and GPS control systems were provided by NASA, while ISRO contributed the S-band SAR, rocket, spacecraft, and its subsystems, overseeing the launch. Both NASA and ISRO will manage mission operations from their respective ground stations. In terms of investment, NASA has contributed approximately $1.16 billion, while ISRO's contribution stands at $90 million. The concept for a mission like NISAR emerged in 2007 when a US committee recommended a space mission to study changes in land, ice, or vegetation cover. The mission aims to facilitate the study of earthquakes, landslides, and volcanoes by monitoring surface deformation, as well as observations that assist in understanding climate change, the global carbon cycle, vegetation, biomass, and changes in ice cover. NASA began work on this project in 2008, and ISRO joined four years later, identifying scientific studies and applications that complemented the mission's primary objectives. Although NASA and ISRO have collaborated before—such as NASA's payload on ISRO's Chandrayaan-1—they had never jointly developed or implemented a space mission until they signed an agreement for NISAR in 2014, leading to the current development of this mission.