..:: India Strategic ::. Space: ISRO and NASA jointly working on Synthetic Aperture Radar mission

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Editorial

ISRO and NASA jointly working on Synthetic Aperture Radar mission

Published: July 2015

New Delhi. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the American Space Agency NASA are jointly working on the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission to co-develop and launch a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite, Minister of State PMO and Department of Space Dr Jitendra Singh informed Rajya Sabha July 30.

NISAR mission is a dual frequency (L & S Band) Radar Imaging Satellite. In this joint mission, JPL/ NASA will be responsible for design & development of L-band SAR, 12 m unfurlable antenna, GPS system and data recorder. ISRO will be responsible for design & development of S-band SAR, Spacecraft Bus, data transmission system, Spacecraft integration & testing, launch using GSLV and on-orbit operations.

The Minister said that the ISRO has completed the Baseline Design Reviews of Spacecraft and S-band SAR payload. JPL has successfully completed the Mission Concept and Key Decision Point reviews.

Implementation Arrangement, defining the roles and responsibilities of ISRO and NASA, has been signed by the two space agencies in September 2014 and the first Joint Steering Group meeting of was held July 21. NISAR satellite is expected to be launched during 2021.

The cost of the project comprises of cost of ISRO’s work share, which is estimated to be Rs 788.00 Cr and cost of JPL’s work share, which is expected to be around USD 808 millions.

The aim and objectives of NISAR mission are:

Design, Develop and launch a Dual frequency (L and S Band) Radar Imaging Satellite.
Explore newer application areas using L and S band microwave data, especially in natural resources mapping & monitoring; estimating agricultural biomass over full duration of crop cycle; assessing soil moisture; monitoring of floods and oil slicks; coastal erosion, coastline changes and variation of winds in coastal waters; assessment of mangroves; surface deformation studies due to seismic activities etc.