The joint NASA-ISRO mission to launch an Earth-observation satellite is no longer happening this year. The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is now targeted for launch no earlier than February 2025 after the additional work on the satellite is complete, SpaceNews reported.
The confirmation comes after Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, in a reply to a Lok Sabha query, listed missions to be launched by ISRO this year. The list excluded NISAR.
We’ve teamed up with @ISRO on the NISAR mission, a satellite that will measure changes on Earth’s surface in fine detail. Data from NISAR can help us better manage natural resources, and understand the pace and effects of climate change. https://t.co/FUEenT8PmS pic.twitter.com/cbTbpJsK1O
— NASA (@NASA) January 11, 2024
The satellite currently requires proper coating on the drum shaped radar antenna reflector which has been contributed by NASA. The component was shipped back to California, US after engineers found that it could face higher than expected temperatures during its stowed configuration during launch.
In a blog postNASA said that a “reflective tape was applied and other precautionary measures were taken to mitigate temperature increases that could have potentially affected the deployment of the reflector.”
It further explained that the launch is not possible between early October 2024 and early February 2025, because that launch window would put the satellite into periods of alternating sunlight and shadows due to the Sun’s position. It further said that “the resulting temperature fluctuations could affect the deployment of NISAR’s boom and radar antenna reflector.”
NISAR has been designed to map the planet every 12 days to gather data on changes in Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, ground water and natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.
Later this year, the reflector will be shipped again to Bengaluru for its integration with NISAR before it could be launched. The lift off will take place on ISRO’s heaviest rocket LVM3 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
ALSO SEE: Gaganyaan To Satellite Launches And More: What To Expect From ISRO In 2024
(Image: NASA)
