Nisar to launch in June: This Nasa-Isro mission will see the Earth breathing
Imagine a sophisticated satellite orbiting about 700 kilometres above us, equipped with radar systems capable of detecting movements in the Earth's crust that are smaller than a centimetre.While this sounds like science fiction— it isn't— it's the description of the next big collaboration between the American space agency Nasa and the Indian Space and Research Organisation (Isro) that is set to transform how we 'see' our planet.advertisementNisar, the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission, is set to launch in June 2025 from the iconic Satish Dhawan Space Center in Shriharikota.
After Isro's Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV) pushes this $1.5 billion mission into orbit, Nisar will unfold its 13-metre diameter radar antenna like an origami masterpiece to begin a systematic scan of Earth's entire surface every 6-12 days.
India also plays a leading role in building the spacecraft. (Photo: Nasa)
THE SATELLITE THAT SEES BENEATH THE SURFACENisar's mission is to provide unprecedented coverage of the planet. For three years, it will monitor the Earth's land surface and interior for subtle changes due to earthquakes, volcanoes, and human activities; its cryosphere for unprecedented melting of polar ice sheets and glaciers caused by climate change; and its coastal and ground waters for impacts of floods and aquifer usage.advertisementIt can do all this at pioneering speed and resolution because, unlike conventional satellites that primarily capture visual imagery, Nisar employs a dual-frequency radar system combining L-band (24 cm wavelength) and S-band (10 cm wavelength) technologies.This allows it to penetrate vegetation, soil, ice, and human-induced structures at different depths, even through cloud cover and darkness. You might still wonder, Why does it matter? Why should I care? Well, allow me to be your guide. We are all too familiar with space applications like the precision location services of GPS, or the prospect of the internet beaming down directly to our home from orbit.While these applications provide great convenience and unprecedented opportunities, what Nisar is about to offer is essential for the existence of our civilisation. Nisar's data will cover the entire planet, but let's look at its applications and benefits in the Indian context.
Nisar will give new insights into the science of earthquakes. (Photo: Nasa)
WHY IT MATTERS TO INDIA: FROM HIMALAYAS TO PADDY FIELDSIndia, with its 7,500 km of coastline, Himalayan glaciers, and monsoon-dependent agriculture, faces unique climate challenges that Nisar is designed to address.advertisementUp north in the Himalayas, glaciers are retreating at alarming rates, endangering the availability of water in the vast agricultural plains that feed the country. Nisar's precise data will help monitor the progression of the melt and changes in the mass of glaciers across the entire Himalayan range. In the southern peninsular coasts, climate change is creating multiple threats from rising sea levels to flooding caused by extreme rainfall events.Nisar's precision observations of the polar ice sheets will be valuable in improving climate models and predictions for sea level rise.Across the subcontinent, Nisar will help monitor soil moisture content and depletion of groundwater aquifers.
Nisar will monitor volcanic activity, track sea ice. (Photo: Nasa)
The insights from the data will help in irrigation planning, water management, and drought prediction. Its data will allow us to differentiate crop types, seasonal changes in cultivation, and crop rotation practices, enabling sustainable food planning and land management.advertisementNisar will be a sentinel delivering crucial intelligence for protecting Indian farms, to conserve precious water, and strategically boosting agricultural productivity.It will also be a massive upgrade to the disaster preparedness and response capabilities of the country. Using interferometric radar techniques, the satellite will map subtle shifts in the Earth's crust along fault lines before, during, and after earthquakes.This will give new insights into the science of earthquakes and help us understand the early warning signs. While it may not be possible to predict earthquakes, emergency responders will benefit from this data to identify areas to improve response time and save precious lives.Beyond these applications, Nisar will monitor volcanic activity, track sea ice, and assess infrastructure stability, all with unprecedented detail and frequency.All these perks for less than 100 rupees per person over its three-year mission. This ingenious technology is an incredible example of collaborative, peaceful, and creative applications of space.A $1.5 BILLION MESSAGE OF PEACEFUL PARTNERSHIPNisar exemplifies international cooperation in space exploration.The mission brings together Nasa's expertise in L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and Isro's proficiency in S-band radar technology.India also plays a leading role in building the spacecraft and launching the satellite. This partnership not only strengthens diplomatic ties between the United States and India but also combines complementary technical strengths to create a mission greater than what either agency could achieve alone.advertisementThousands of engineers, scientists, technicians, and students have worked across two different continents to build this impressive mission. Every day Nisar will beam down approximately 85 terabytes of data, equivalent to millions of phone camera images, all of which will be freely available to researchers, governments, businesses, and not-for-profit organisations worldwide under an open data policy. With this one giant leap in democratising Earth observation, there is a broader opportunity for India to affirm its status as a leader in space technology and its peaceful applications.The Indian research community has a unique opportunity to lead the world in Earth observation and climate science.The climate scientists, the data analysts, the policymakers, and the university students can leverage this opportunity to create exciting research, applications, and businesses that can serve the national interest and also go beyond to make India a producer of critical climate data and products.The Indian space sector stands at a crucial juncture, combining Isro's established excellence, growing international partnerships, and an impressive wave of innovative NewSpace startups.advertisement(This is an authored article by Aafaque Khan. He was the former lead engineer of the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) onboard the ISRO's Aditya L1 Mission)
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