As a major step in the partnership between Nasa and Isro to improve Earth observation capabilities, NASA’s radar antenna reflector for the Nisar satellite is currently undergoing critical testing.
New Delhi 30th July 2024
The Nisar project, a historic joint venture between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro), is progressing significantly as NASA gets closer to finishing the satellite’s radar antenna reflector. The mission’s primary objective of deepening our understanding of Earth’s dynamic systems depends on the crucial component, which is presently undergoing testing in California.
One of NASA’s most significant contributions to the Nisar project is the radar antenna reflector, a drum-shaped structure with a diameter of around 39 feet (12 meters).
The satellite can scan almost the whole surface of Earth twice every twelve days thanks to this component, which is made to broadcast and receive microwave signals. Insights on a range of Earth processes, such as ecosystem disruptions, ice sheet collapse, and natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides, will be gained from the data collection.
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After being shipped back from India to a specialist facility in California in March, the reflector underwent a number of preparations, such as the installation of reflective tape and other steps to lessen the influence of temperature changes on its deployment Once testing is complete, NASA plans to send the reflector to Isro’s Bengaluru facility for reintegration into the radar system.
In Bengaluru, teams from Isro and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will work together to finish the integration and decide on the launch readiness date. The timeframe for Nisar’s launch, however, is limited to the early months of October 2024 to February 2025 because of possible temperature variations brought on by the Sun’s location. The way the radar antenna reflector and satellite boom are deployed may be impacted by these variations.
The Nisar satellite will provide hitherto unheard-of data to support international climate science and disaster management initiatives after it is launched and activated, greatly improving our capacity to track and react to environmental changes and natural disasters.
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