The Nisar mission is a major collaboration between NASA and ISRO, merging the expertise and resources of both agencies to enhance our understanding of Earth’s dynamic systems.
NASA’s work on the radar antenna reflector for the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) satellite is approaching completion in California.
The American space agency has announced that testing is underway to ensure the reflector, a crucial hardware component, will deploy correctly after its launch from India.
The Nisar mission is a notable collaboration between NASA and ISRO, merging the expertise and resources of both agencies to enhance our understanding of Earth’s dynamic systems.
The drum-shaped reflector, approximately 39 feet (12 meters) in diameter, is a key contribution from NASA to this joint mission with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is designed to transmit and receive microwave signals to and from Earth’s surface, enabling Nisar to scan nearly all land and ice surfaces on the planet twice every 12 days, thereby collecting vital scientific data.
This capability will yield valuable insights into various Earth processes, including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet collapse, and natural hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides.
In March, the reflector was transported from India to a specialized facility in California, where reflective tape was applied and precautionary measures were taken to manage temperature increases that could impact the reflector’s deployment from its stowed configuration before scientific operations commence.
Upon successful completion of testing, NASA plans to ship the reflector to an ISRO facility in Bengaluru, India. There, it will be reintegrated with the radar system by teams from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and ISRO. A launch readiness date will be set by ISRO in coordination with NASA.
It is important to note that the Nisar launch cannot occur between early October 2024 and early February 2025 due to the Sun’s position causing periods of alternating sunlight and shadows, which could lead to temperature fluctuations affecting the deployment of Nisar’s boom and radar antenna reflector.
Once operational, Nisar will provide unprecedented data to help scientists monitor and respond to environmental changes and natural disasters, significantly contributing to global climate science and disaster management efforts.
