Latest news with #NASA-ISROSyntheticApertureRadar
Hans India
5 minutes ago
- Business
- Hans India
India tied up with over 60 nations for space tech, satellite communication: Jitendra Singh
New Delhi: India has partnered with more than 60 nations for space technologies and satellite communication, said Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, in the Parliament's ongoing Monsoon Session on Wednesday. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Singh shared details of India's space technology collaborations as well as support given to the private sector to launch large-scale missions in space. 'Space cooperative documents have been signed with 61 countries and five multilateral bodies. The major areas of collaborations are satellite remote sensing, satellite navigation, satellite communication, space science, planetary exploration, and capacity building,' Singh said. He noted that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is already working with NASA for NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), slated to launch later this month. The Indian space agency is also working with CNES (French National Space Agency) for a joint satellite mission named 'TRISHNA (Thermal Infrared Imaging Satellite for High Resolution Natural Resource Assessment)', which is in the initial stages. ISRO and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) have carried out a feasibility study to realise a joint lunar polar exploration mission. ISRO also collaborated with NASA and Axiom Space for sending its astronaut to the International Space Station, Singh said. Further, the MoS highlighted the opening up of the space industry to the private sector and the launch of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), enabling the latter to launch large-scale space missions. He also mentioned the rollout of the Indian Space Policy, 2023, to foster a thriving space ecosystem. In addition, various schemes such as the technology adoption fund, venture capital fund for the space sector, seed fund scheme, pricing support, mentorship, and technical labs were introduced to support startups and Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) in the space sector. The government also 'signed 79 MoUs with NGEs and issued 77 authorisations' till March, Singh said.
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Science
- Indian Express
NISAR in focus: Why is this NASA-ISRO mission relevant for UPSC Exam
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your UPSC Current Affairs Knowledge Nugget on NISAR for today. (Relevance: Space missions form an important part of the UPSC CSE syllabus. From time to time UPSC has asked questions on various space missions. Thus, knowing about the missions that are in the news becomes important.) The much-awaited launch of NISAR — an earth observation satellite jointly developed by NASA and ISRO — is set to take place on July 30 at 5:40 pm from the country's only spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. There have been several delays in the launch of the satellite, with the scheduled launch last year being pushed after technical issues. In this context, let's know about NISAR and its mission. 1. NISAR, which stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, has been built by space agencies of the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014. 2. It will be launched on the GSLV-F16 and be put in a 734 km sun synchronous orbit — an orbit in which the satellite reaches over a place at the same time each day. 3. It will scan the entire globe every 12 days, proving a series of very detailed images of the Earth's surface. Weighing 2,392 kg it will be the first satellite ever to observe the Earth in two frequencies — NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band. 'Each system's signal is sensitive to different sizes of features on Earth's surface, and each specializes in measuring different attributes, such as moisture content, surface roughness, and motion,' according to NASA. 4. Putting two radar systems on a single satellite is a unique engineering feat because the two systems require different sets of hardware, and yet have to function in a complementary fashion without interfering with one another. 5. This would mean that the satellite would be able to provide very high-resolution data, in all types of weather conditions, and both during the day and the night. The satellite is powerful enough to capture changes as small as one centimetre in size during its repeated observations over the same terrain. 6. While NISAR won't be able to predict earthquakes, it will be able to study the dynamic processes happening on Earth's surface, like retreat of glaciers, movement of sea ice, the path of a storm, changes in vegetation and forest cover, and even the movements during earthquakes and volcanoes. Scientists expect this satellite to provide new insights into our understandings of processes like climate change or natural hazards and better prepare for them. 7. It can also help with practical applications such as tracking the changes in soil moisture or mapping surface water levels. 8. Costing around USD 1.5 billion, it is the most expensive earth observation satellite in the world, with ISRO contributing Rs 469.4 crores for the satellite. The Indian space agency will also incur costs in launching the satellite. 1. Chandrayaan-5, also known as LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration), is a joint project between ISRO and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to study water and water-ice both on the lunar surface and the subsurface. Weighing 6.5 tonnes, it is proposed to lift off on a Japanese rocket, H3, sometime in 2027-28. 2. Using the rover, JAXA teams plan to trace areas on the Moon with presence of water, sample the nearby soil or regolith by drilling into the surface. The onboard instruments will measure the water content and its quality and perform other in-situ observations. 3. ISRO is developing Chandrayaan-5's lander whereas JAXA is building the 350-kg rover. There will be seven scientific instruments onboard, some contributed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. ESA is developing the mass spectrometer and NASA the neutron spectrometers — both are currently in the design phase. 4. The Union Cabinet approved Chandrayaan-5 in March this year, more than a year after India became the first country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon's south pole with Chandrayaan-3. The proposed Chandrayaan-4 mission will be a return sample mission: samples dug from the Moon will be brought to Earth for ISRO to study the mineral composition of the lunar surface. 5. Spectrometers are specialised scientific instruments that aid in performing in-situ (at the site) experiments requiring calculation of the energy and mass of samples. These experiments help understand the evolution of the composition of hydrogen and other elements. 6. The rover will be designed and programmed by JAXA to travel certain distances on the lunar surface and climb hills up to an inclination of 25 degrees. 'The batteries' charging (of the rover) have been planned in such a way that they will be charged once each before and after sample collection. This is very complex,' said Dai. 7. On the LUPEX mission life, he said: 'If everything goes well as planned, then towards the end of the mission, we hope to go to the far side of the Moon. And if possible, extend the mission life by a year.' With reference to the NISAR satellite, consider the following statements: 1. This satellite is developed by the Indian Space and Research Organisation in partnership with NASA. 2. It will measure the motion of the entire planet's land and ice-covered surface every 28 days. 3. The satellite will work only during the daytime. 4. The satellite will be able to predict earthquakes. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (Sources: NASA-ISRO joint satellite NISAR set for July 30 launch, Chandrayaan-5 mission: India, Japan to enter design phase) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
News18
7 hours ago
- Science
- News18
NISAR: Rs 13,000-Crore ISRO-NASA Satellite To Scan Entire Earth In 12 Days, Launch On July 30
Last Updated: NISAR, the $1.5-billion ISRO-NASA satellite launching July 30, will track Earth's changes in real time, revolutionising disaster response, climate research, and food security On July 30, 2025, a landmark satellite mission is set to take off from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, marking a historic moment in space cooperation between India and the United States. The mission, titled NISAR, short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is an ambitious Earth observation initiative jointly developed by ISRO and NASA. With a cost of Rs 13,000 crore ($1.5 billion), it will provide the most precise, detailed imaging of Earth ever attempted. This project not only strengthens bilateral space ties but is expected to revolutionise environmental monitoring, disaster prediction, and climate data analysis across the globe. NISAR will be the first satellite in the world to operate simultaneously on two radar frequencies: NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band. The satellite, weighing 2,392 kg, will be launched aboard ISRO's GSLV-F16 rocket into a 743 km sun-synchronous orbit. This orbit allows the satellite to collect consistent data regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. NISAR will capture high-resolution images of Earth's surface every 12 days, providing an unprecedented frequency of observations. A Record-Breaking Investment With a development cost of $1.5 billion, NISAR is the most expensive Earth observation satellite ever built. Its sheer scale and advanced technology justify the investment. The satellite includes a 12-metre-long mesh antenna, one of the largest ever used, and a cutting-edge dual radar system capable of detecting centimetre-level movements in Earth's surface. From earthquake shifts to glacial changes and subsidence, the data collected will be critical for understanding and managing natural hazards. ISRO's Strategic Role And Contribution India's space agency, ISRO, is contributing around Rs 788 crore to the mission. But the benefits go well beyond finances. NISAR will significantly boost India's ability to: Detect earthquakes, floods, and landslides early Monitor soil moisture and crop conditions to enhance agricultural planning Track glacier retreat, deforestation, and wetland changes Support disaster relief and climate policy formulation All NISAR data will be freely available worldwide, further elevating India's stature in global scientific and climate research. How Do The Dual Radars Work? NISAR's twin radars serve complementary functions: NASA's L-band radar observes land masses, forests, snow, and deep soil structures. ISRO's S-band radar focuses on finer details, including crop structures, shallow soil layers, and surface anomalies. Together, they will produce images at a 5 to 10 metre resolution over a swath width of up to 242 kilometres, every 12 days. What Will NISAR Monitor? The satellite is engineered for real-time tracking of significant changes in the Earth's surface, including: Earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity Ice sheet movement and glacier melt Deforestation, crop growth, and vegetation shifts Soil moisture, wetland status, and lake levels Disaster impact assessment following cyclones, floods, tsunamis, and wildfires This powerful monitoring tool will allow for timely, data-driven decisions that can save lives and protect natural ecosystems. A Mission For The Planet, Not Just India And USA NISAR is not just a symbol of India-US space cooperation, it is a mission for humanity. Its wide-ranging data will be vital for: top videos View all Urban development Climate change mitigation Food and water security Environmental protection Defence and security planning As climate and environmental concerns grow more urgent, NISAR offers a new lens to understand our planet—and act in time. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Indian satellite indian space mission Indian space programme ISRO ISRO satellite launch nasa nasa isro Space research space science Indian Space Research Organisation view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 23, 2025, 11:51 IST News explainers NISAR: Rs 13,000-Crore ISRO-NASA Satellite To Scan Entire Earth In 12 Days, Launch On July 30 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Science
- Time of India
NASA-ISRO $1.5 billion joint satellite NISAR set for launch on July 30: What is its mission and why is ISRO spending so much on it
The countdown has begun for the launch of NISAR, a groundbreaking Earth observation satellite jointly developed by NASA and ISRO. Slated for liftoff on July 30, 2025, at 5:40 PM IST from Sriharikota, the satellite represents a landmark in Indo-US space collaboration. Weighing 2,392 kg and carrying a price tag of $1.5 billion, NISAR is the most expensive Earth observation mission ever launched. Using a first-of-its-kind dual-frequency radar system, the satellite aims to deliver detailed, high-resolution imagery of the Earth's surface every 12 days. It is designed to support scientists, disaster response teams, and policymakers worldwide. What is the mission of the NISAR NISAR, which stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, will orbit Earth in a sun-synchronous orbit, capturing global surface data consistently under identical lighting conditions. Its primary goals include: Monitoring ecosystem changes and measuring forest biomass Tracking earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic deformation Studying glacier retreat and polar ice movement Measuring soil moisture and detecting groundwater variations Generating 3D surface maps of land and ice with high precision The satellite's L-band radar from NASA and S-band radar from ISRO allow it to see through cloud cover, vegetation, and darkness, enabling round-the-clock, all-weather observations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Resmed AirSense 11 with flat 20% off ResMed Buy Now Undo Why does NISAR cost $1.5 billion? NISAR's hefty cost stems from its technological sophistication. It carries a 12-meter deployable mesh antenna, one of the largest in Earth observation history. The satellite integrates two advanced radar systems, requiring complex hardware and software integration without mutual interference. It offers centimeter-level precision, capable of detecting subtle ground shifts and environmental changes. NASA provided the L-band radar, GPS, solid-state recorder, and antenna. ISRO developed the S-band radar, satellite bus, and launch systems, and will launch NISAR using the GSLV-F16 rocket. Why is ISRO investing over INR 788 crore? India's contribution of INR 788 crore is a strategic investment with far-reaching benefits. Disaster response: Rapid detection of earthquakes, floods, and landslides could help save lives and infrastructure. Agriculture and water management: Accurate data on soil moisture and crop health can inform drought mitigation and boost food security. Climate monitoring: Continuous tracking of forests, glaciers, and wetlands enhances climate resilience. Technological advancement: Developing and operating dual-band radar technology strengthens ISRO's future missions. Global data access: All NISAR data will be freely available worldwide, enhancing India's standing in global Earth science. The bigger picture: A symbol of international collaboration NISAR exemplifies the success of long-term technical cooperation between NASA and ISRO. It showcases a trusted partnership in cutting-edge space technology. It positions India as a global leader in Earth observation. It opens doors for future joint missions and high-tech space ventures. NISAR is more than just a satellite. It is a symbol of scientific ambition, global cooperation, and a step forward in understanding our rapidly changing planet. With unmatched capabilities and broad practical applications, it is expected to deliver insights that far exceed its financial cost. As India takes the lead in launching the mission, the world watches closely, anticipating a transformative leap in Earth science and climate preparedness.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
NISAR to be launched on July 30
The much-awaited launch of NISAR — an earth observation satellite jointly developed by NASA and ISRO — is set to take place on July 30 at 5:40 pm from the country's only spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The satellite will be launched on the GSLV-F16 and be put in a 734 km sun synchronous orbit — an orbit in which the satellite reaches over a place at the same time each day. The satellite will scan the entire globe every 12 days, proving a series of very detailed images of the Earth's surface. NISAR, which stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, will provide an unprecedented view of the planet. Weighing 2,392 kg it will be the first satellite ever to observe the Earth in two frequencies — NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band. 'Each system's signal is sensitive to different sizes of features on Earth's surface, and each specializes in measuring different attributes, such as moisture content, surface roughness, and motion,' according to NASA. Putting two radar systems on a single satellite is a unique engineering feat because the two systems require different sets of hardware, and yet have to function in a complementary fashion without interfering with one another. This would mean that the satellite would be able to provide very high-resolution data, in all types of weather conditions, and both during the day and the night. The satellite is powerful enough to capture changes as small as one centimetre in size during its repeated observations over the same terrain. It will therefore be able to study the dynamic processes happening on Earth's surface, like retreat of glaciers, movement of sea ice, the path of a storm, changes in vegetation and forest cover, and even the movements during earthquakes and volcanoes. Scientists expect this satellite to provide new insights into our understandings of processes like climate change or natural hazards and better prepare for them. It can also help with practical applications such as tracking the changes in soil moisture or mapping surface water levels. Costing around USD 1.5 billion, it is the most expensive earth observation satellite in the world, with ISRO contributing Rs 469.4 crores for the satellite. The Indian space agency will also incur costs in launching the satellite. 'The NISAR launch is the result of strong technical cooperation between ISRO & NASA/JPL technical teams for more than a decade,' the space agency said. There have been several delays in the launch of the satellite, with the scheduled launch last year being pushed after technical issues. There was a need to fix the one of the key components of the satellite — a 12-metre unfurlable antennae. The satellite was shipped back to the United States. Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More
