NISAR Satellite

Context

Recently, ISRO has confirmed that the NISAR Satellite will possess the capability to monitor Earth’s tectonic movements with exceptional precision, achieving accuracy down to the centimeter.

About NISAR Satellite

• Dual-Band Radar Mission: NISAR is the first satellite mission that will collect radar data in two microwave bandwidth ranges:
  • L-band (1-2 GHz, commonly used for satellite communication and remote sensing) and L-band payload is made by the U.S. 
  • S-band (2-4 GHz, commonly used for satellite communication and weather monitoring). S-band payload has been made by the ISRO
• Radar Technology for Earth Imaging: ‘SAR’ (  Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite) is a type of remote-sensing technology that uses radars instead of optical sensors to create high-resolution images of the earth’s surface. It can penetrate clouds and vegetation to generate accurate data.
• Antenna Technology: It has a large deployable antenna with an 18-meter diameter, it has a very high swath.

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Significance of  NISAR Satellite

• Comprehensive Earth Monitoring: It can fully cover the earth in approximately 14 to 15 days, in radar. It can monitor various aspects in very high resolution.
  • For example, it can monitor the tectonic movements to centimeter accuracy. It can accurately measure water bodies.
• Water Stress and Ground Penetration: It can look at water stressing on the earth, wherever there is deficiency of water. It can ground-penetrate to a certain depth. 
• Monitoring Vegetation and snow cover: It is capable of monitoring the vegetation cover and snow cover. It, therefore, basically looks at the whole of the earth in terms of surface, water, greenery and all of that.
• Changes in permafrost: NISAR is programmed to observe global changes in permafrost at regular intervals, updating scientists about its degradation, with implications for global water resources, aquatic ecosystems, coastal water levels, etc.
• Monitoring Forests: NISAR will monitor global forest resources, their extent, and quality and provide information for their sustainable development and management.

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