NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are gearing up for a groundbreaking joint mission, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), set to launch in March 2024. The much-anticipated mission was initially expected in January but is now likely to be pushed beyond February, according to sources close to the project.
Why Studying the Cryosphere Matters?
The cryosphere, comprising glaciers, ice sheets, permafrost, and sea ice, holds about 70% of Earth’s freshwater and plays a pivotal role in regulating sea levels and influencing global temperatures. Understanding changes in the cryosphere is crucial for predicting climate patterns, rising sea levels, and their impact on ecosystems and human populations.
What is NISAR?
Short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, NISAR is a joint venture that promises to revolutionize our understanding of Earth’s cryosphere. The satellite will be lifted off from India aboard a GSLV Mark II rocket at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
Key Features of NISAR:
- NISAR is equipped with dual L-band and S-band frequencies, allowing it to systematically map the planet and provide an unprecedented view of Earth’s dynamic ecosystems, ice masses, and land surfaces.
- The satellite’s advanced radar imaging technology will capture high-resolution data, with a swath of approximately 240 km and resolutions ranging from 7 m along the track to 2-8 m cross-track.
- With a mission life of three years, NISAR will map the entire globe every 12 days, offering consistent data crucial for studying changes in ecosystems, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, groundwater, and natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides.
- NISAR’s radar data will provide crucial insights into the thickness and movement of glaciers and ice sheets, contributing to our understanding of their role in sea level rise.
- The mission will monitor the extent and timing of snow cover, aiding in understanding the impact of climate change on snowmelt and freshwater availability.
- NISAR will monitor permafrost thawing, helping to assess the potential release of greenhouse gases and informing climate models.
The NISAR mission is poised to be a game-changer in Earth observation, providing unprecedented insights into the planet’s cryosphere and its dynamic changes. The collaboration between NASA and ISRO marks a significant stride in international space exploration.