It can be considered a ‘spy’ sent from Earth into space, providing the earliest alerts about impending natural disasters. The satellite weighs 2,392 kilograms and is 51.7 meters long. It will be launched into space via India’s GSLV-F16 rocket and will be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit.
It will scan Earth’s landmass and ice-covered surfaces every 12 days. Furthermore, using SwathSAR technology, it will capture high-resolution images across a 242-kilometre area.
Benefits for Scientists Worldwide
ISRO has previously launched similar missions for Earth studies (Resourcesat, RISAT), but these were limited to the Indian region. The NISAR mission aims to focus on the entire Earth, benefiting scientists globally. This satellite can assist in studying the impact of climate change on glaciers in the Himalayas and Antarctica, and the North and South Poles. Additionally, NISAR will aid in studying changes in forest cover and mountain conditions.
How NISAR Works
Overall, NISAR can significantly aid Indian and American scientists in predicting disasters. The NISAR satellite is uniquely designed with two radars operating at different frequencies – a world first for a satellite. The L-band radar was developed by NASA’s JPL, while the S-band radar was developed by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad. These two radars enable NISAR to transmit high-quality images, facilitating the easy detection of subtle environmental changes.
NISAR’s Monitoring Capabilities
For the first time, NASA and ISRO have jointly developed the hardware for an Earth observation satellite. This satellite will function like a spy. It will monitor earthquakes, landslides, wildfires, rainfall, cyclonic storms, lightning strikes, volcanic eruptions, and tectonic plate activity. It will alert the world to these natural disasters before they occur. The NISAR satellite will also provide information on where and when earthquakes are likely to occur globally.
