Previous Year Question
“NISAR satellite” is jointly developed by which of the following organizations?
ISRO and NASA
ESA and NASA
ESA and ISRO
ROSCOSMOS and CNSA
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is an Earth Observation Satellite jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) of India and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States. Its objective is to study changes in Earth's surface, ice cover, vegetation, and natural resources.
NISAR is a Dual-Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite. It uses radars operating in two different frequency bands—
L-Band Radar: It was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Operating at a wavelength of approximately 24 centimetres, this radar is useful for studying vegetation, forest structure, and changes in Earth's surface.
S-Band Radar: It was developed by ISRO's Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad. Operating at a wavelength of approximately 9.4 centimetres, this radar is useful for studying agricultural crops, land surfaces, and other environmental changes.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an Active Remote Sensing Technology in which a satellite transmits microwave signals and analyses the signals reflected from Earth's surface. This technology can observe Earth's surface during both day and night, even in the presence of clouds.
Major applications of the NISAR mission include:
Studying ground-surface displacement associated with earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activities.
Monitoring changes in Glaciers and ice cover.
Assessing changes in agricultural crops, vegetation, and forest resources.
Studying Soil Moisture, groundwater-related changes, and water resources.
NISAR was launched on 30 July 2025 aboard ISRO's GSLV-F16 launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It was placed in a Sun-Synchronous Orbit at an altitude of approximately 747 kilometres. Its planned primary mission duration is three years.