NASA-ISRO’s NISAR Satellite Nears Completion, Revolutionizing Earth Observation: In a groundbreaking collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), engineers in Bengaluru, India, have achieved a major milestone in the development of the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite. The successful integration of its main components brings this powerful Earth observing satellite one step closer to its highly anticipated launch, slated for early 2024.
NASA-ISRO’s NISAR Satellite
NISAR, a cutting-edge satellite designed to enhance our understanding of critical Earth processes, such as climate change, deforestation, glacier melt, volcanoes, and earthquakes, promises to revolutionize global Earth observation capabilities. Built on opposite sides of the planet, this joint endeavor showcases the power of international collaboration in advancing scientific knowledge and addressing pressing environmental challenges.
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The recent achievement in Bengaluru saw engineers join the spacecraft bus, responsible for power, navigation, control, and communication, with the radar instrument payload, comprising two state-of-the-art radar systems. The payload arrived from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California in March, while the bus was meticulously crafted at ISRO’s facility. This significant milestone signifies the successful integration of these components in preparation for the upcoming launch.
Spanning the size of an SUV, the cylindrical radar instrument payload is partially encased in gold-colored thermal blanketing, protecting its sophisticated technology. It boasts two radar systems with distinct functionalities. The S-band radar will play a vital role in monitoring crop structure, land roughness, and ice surfaces. Meanwhile, the L-band instrument exhibits the unique capability to penetrate dense forest canopies, enabling detailed analysis of tree trunks and other hidden features. Operating day and night, regardless of cloud cover, these advanced sensors will enable comprehensive monitoring of Earth’s surface like never before.
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The journey to the current milestone has been a remarkable endeavor, reflecting the immense collaboration between NASA and ISRO. The S-band radar was initially constructed at the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, India, before being transported to NASA’s JPL in California. There, it was skillfully combined with the L-band radar, developed by JPL engineers. The fully integrated payload was then transported to the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, marking a significant achievement in this multinational collaboration.
Following the successful integration, engineers and technicians from both NASA and ISRO are now focused on connecting the intricate network of cabling between the radar payload and the spacecraft bus. Additionally, the final assembly stages will involve attaching the satellite’s solar panels and deploying a massive drum-shaped wire-mesh reflector, a 30-foot (9-meter) boom, which will unfold to become the largest radar antenna ever launched into space, measuring nearly 40 feet (12 meters) in diameter.
While the NISAR satellite undergoes rigorous performance and environmental testing to ensure its readiness for launch, excitement grows within the scientific community. Once these tests are completed, the satellite will be transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, where it will be mounted atop ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II rocket and deployed into low Earth orbit.
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The NISAR mission serves as a significant milestone in space exploration, representing the first time that NASA and ISRO have collaborated on hardware development for an Earth-observing mission. JPL, managed by Caltech for NASA, has played a leading role in the project, providing the L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and various critical components. NASA’s contributions encompass the radar reflector antenna, deployable boom, communication subsystem, GPS receivers, solid-state recorder, and payload data subsystem. URSC has taken the lead in the ISRO component, spearheading the development of the spacecraft bus, S-band SAR electronics, launch vehicle, and satellite mission operations.
As the launch of NISAR draws near, the global scientific community eagerly awaits the unprecedented insights this advanced satellite will provide. With its ability to monitor Earth’s surface at an exceptional level of detail, NISAR promises to revolutionize our understanding of our planet, facilitating more informed decision-making and contributing to a sustainable future for generations to come.
For more information about the NISAR mission, visit the official website at https://nisar.jpl.nasa.gov/.
Learn more about it https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3275/powerful-nasa-isro-earth-observing-satellite-coming-together-in-india/