ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan announced that NASA and ISRO are ready to announce the operational status of their collaborative NISAR satellite. The NISAR, a joint project between NASA and ISRO, is known as the priciest satellite for observing Earth and can survey a majority of the planet's land and ice areas every 12 days.

The NISAR satellite weighing 2,400 kg was launched on July 30 from ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Centre using the GSLV rocket.

"Entire data calibration has been completed, and we will have a conclave on November 7 to declare the satellite operational," Narayanan said at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) here.

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The NISAR mission is the initial one to include both L-Band and S-Band sensors in its two SAR systems. L-band radar is capable of penetrating through forest canopies to gather information about soil moisture, forest biomass, and the movement of land and ice surfaces.

The S-band radar has higher sensitivity towards small vegetation and is capable of monitoring specific types of agriculture, grassland ecosystems, and moisture in snow.

Both radar systems are able to gather information despite the presence of clouds and precipitation, regardless of the time of day.

 

"All the data is very outstanding. Every 12 days, the Earth can be scanned, and it is going to be a highly useful satellite," Narayanan says.

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The head of ISRO mentioned that the initial unmanned mission of the Gaganyaan project, India's human spaceflight initiative, is scheduled for January. The goal is to launch Indian astronauts into space using a domestically developed rocket by 2027.

Narayanan stated that more than 8,000 tests have been conducted for the mission until now, and ISRO intends to perform three unmanned missions before launching astronauts into orbit around the Earth.

"He mentioned that India also intends to send the initial module of the Bhartiya Antariksh Station into orbit by 2028 and aims to have the fully operational five-module orbital laboratory by 2035."

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The Indian space station, weighing 52 tonnes, will have the capability to accommodate three to four crew members for extended periods and up to six members for shorter missions.

Narayanan also gave information about India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan, and the upcoming space station. The initial unmanned flight of the Gaganyaan project is scheduled for January. ISRO intends to complete three unmanned missions before launching astronauts into space on an indigenously developed rocket by 2027. To date, more than 8,000 tests have been conducted for the mission.