The most powerful satellite in human history, NISAR, is set to launch at the beginning of next year. This remarkable satellite is a joint creation by the Indian Space Agency ISRO and the American Space Agency NASA. It is uniquely equipped to alert about various natural calamities around the globe.
This vigilant cosmic watchman will monitor earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, rainfall, cyclonic storms, hurricanes, lightning, volcanic eruptions, and movement of tectonic plates from space. It will provide early warnings of these events, potentially mitigating their devastating impacts.
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With the deployment of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), our world will gain advanced notice of impending earthquakes. NISAR can record tectonic plate movements with centimeter-level precision, allowing experts to ascertain where and when earthquakes might strike. It will orbit the Earth every 12 days.
How will the NISAR satellite look in space?
The NISAR satellite will feature a main bus housing several instruments, including transponders, a telescope, and a radar system. An arm will extend from this bus, supporting a cylindrical structure. This cylinder, upon expanding hours after the launch, will unfurl a large umbrella-like dish antenna — the synthetic aperture radar itself.
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Source: aajtak
A new Earth report every 12 days
NISAR application chief Kathleen Jones confirmed that every 12 days, the satellite will complete another orbit, allowing scientists to detect surface changes with great precision. This data will help predict weather patterns and potential natural disasters across different regions.
Where will the launch take place?
The satellite will be launched using a GSLV-MK2 rocket from the second launch pad at Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Both the satellite and payload have undergone rigorous testing multiple times.
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Source: aajtak
What will NISAR do?
- This satellite will act as a global protector against natural calamities, hailed as the world's most expensive earth observation satellite, with a budget of 10,000 crore rupees. - It won't merely alert about city sinkings; it will forecast tornadoes, storms, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, glacier melts, ocean storms, wildfires, and rising sea levels amidst many other disasters. - Additionally, NISAR will keep tabs on space debris accumulating around Earth's orbit and alert against extraterrestrial threats.
How will it operate?
NISAR will employ two bands – L and S – to scrutinize the fluctuating populations of flora on Earth and study the effects of light intensity variations. The S-band transmitter has been developed by India, while NASA designed the L-band transponder.
A complete Earth orbit every 12 days
NISAR's radar will capture clear imagery of areas up to 240 km wide. It will revisit each point on Earth every 12 days due to its orbital path. While the mission's initial expected lifespan is five years, it may well extend beyond this timeframe.
