Nissar Satellite will monitor tectonic movements to Centimeter Accuracy: S.Somnath

Sub: Science and tech

Sec: Space tech

Tags: Nissar Satellite, NASA-ISRO

What is NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) Satellite?

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar mission is a joint project between NASA and ISRO to co-develop and launch a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar on an Earth observation satellite. The satellite will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies.
NISAR is the first satellite mission to collect radar data in two microwave bandwidth regions, called the L-band and the S-band, to measure changes of our planet’s surface, including movements as small as centimeters.
NISAR uses a sophisticated information-processing technique known as synthetic aperture radar to produce extremely high-resolution images.

What is unique about the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite?

This is a Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite with two bands.
- One is S-band and the other is L-band.
- The S-band payload has been made by the ISRO and the L-band payload by the U.S.
The U.S. will contribute the large deployable antenna.
It is a dual band polarisible radar.
It is supposed to go in July but it may go only in October-November.

Benefits of NISAR:

It has a large deployable antenna with an 18-meter diameter, it has a very high swath.
It can fully cover the earth in approximately 14 to 15 days, in radar. It can monitor various aspects in very high resolution.
It can monitor the tectonic movements to centimeter accuracy.
It can accurately measure water bodies.
It can look at water stressing on the earth, wherever there is deficiency of water.
It can ground-penetrate to a certain depth. It is capable of monitoring the vegetation cover and snow cover

What are the features of Chandrayaan-4, which will be a sample-return mission?

Chandrayaan-4 is a planned lunar sample-return mission and the fourth mission in the Chandrayaan programme, a series of lunar-exploration missions developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
The mission is currently under conceptualisation phase and is slated for launch no earlier than 2028.

What is Spadex (space docking experiment)?

SPADEX or Space Docking Experiment is a twin spacecraft mission being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation to mature technologies related to orbital rendezvous, docking, formation flying, with scope of applications in human spaceflight, in-space satellite servicing and other proximity operations
The SPADEX mission involves a spacecraft with two components – Chaser and Target.
This will dock and separate as a mock drill for the Moon mission.
While in the low-Earth orbit, the Chaser and Target will separate only to rendezvous autonomously later on.

About Gaganyaan Mission:

Gaganyaan is an ISRO mission aiming to send Indian astronauts to low-Earth orbit using an Indian launch vehicle.
It is a demonstration mission to test technologies essential for human spaceflight, showcasing India’s capability in producing, qualifying, and utilizing these technologies.
Future goals for ISRO include establishing an indigenous space station by 2035 and landing an Indian on the moon by 2040.
ISRO plans to integrate these ambitious projects with future lunar explorations, starting with a joint mission with Japan for lunar rover landing and a mission to return lunar soil samples to Earth.

PAD abort test:

A pad abort test is a kind of test of a launch escape system which is conducted by setting the system along with the spacecraft still on the ground and letting the system activate to carry the spacecraft flying away, then separate in the air and make the spacecraft land safely.
The purpose of the test is to determine how well the system could get the crew of a spacecraft to safety in an emergency on the launch pad.
As the spacecraft is set still on the ground, the test is also called “zero-altitude abort test” against “high-altitude abort test”.

Integrated Air Drop Test:

This critical test aims to validate the functionality of the parachute system and the integrity of the crew capsule, crucial components for the safe return of astronauts from space.

What are other new projects of ISRO?

Bharatiya Antariksha Station:

The Indian Orbital Space Station, officially called, Bharatiya Antariksha Station, is a planned modular space station to be constructed by India and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

NGLV (New Generation Launch Vehicle):

The Next Generation Launch Vehicle or NGLV is a three-stage partially reusable rocket, currently under development by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
This vehicle is designed to replace currently operational systems like PSLV, GSLV and LVM3.

Software-defined radio satellite:

Space-based Software Defined Radios (SDRs) are primarily used in satellites to increase processing power, as well as to complement the overall communications architecture; both for transmitting and receiving signals.
A satellite constellation (or swarm) is a network of identical or similar-type artificial units with the same purpose and shared control. Such groups communicate to worldwide-located ground stations and sometimes are inter-connected. They work as a system and are designed to complement each other.

IDRSS (the Indian Data Relay Satellite System):

Indian Data Relay Satellite System or IDRSS is a planned Indian constellation of Inter-satellite communications satellites.
It is planned to initially comprise two satellites, CMS-04 & IDRSS-2 in geostationary orbit.

Technology Development Satellite, TDS-01:

TDS-01 (Technology Demonstration Satellite-01) is an Indian geostationary orbit technology demonstration satellite carrying payloads for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar and the CSIR-CEERI, Pilani.