In a historic first, the space agencies of the United States and India have united to develop the hardware for an Earth-observing mission. The collaborative effort between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has resulted in the nearing completion of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, representing a groundbreaking partnership. Scheduled for launch in 2024, NISAR promises to revolutionize Earth’s surveillance through continuous radar scanning of the planet’s surface, offering valuable insights into long-term changes. Over the course of 12 days, the NISAR satellite will conduct a comprehensive scan of both Earth’s land and ice surfaces, completing two cycles within that timeframe.
The remarkable capabilities of NISAR are enabled by the incorporation of two distinct synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. NASA is responsible for the L-band SAR, while ISRO manages the S-band SAR, each utilizing radio waves of varying wavelengths. By employing these different wavelengths, NISAR seeks to provide an in-depth understanding of the ever-evolving landscapes of our planet.
This collaborative effort between NASA and ISRO marks a significant milestone in the field of Earth observation, promising to yield valuable data and insights that will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of our changing world.
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