CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR UPSC IAS

NISAR Mission on track for early 2024 launch.

Key Highlights-

• Launch Date and Status:
  • The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is set for an "early 2024" launch.
  • The mission is on track, with final tests scheduled for the current week.
• Testing Update:
  • All tests, except the acoustic tests, have been completed.
  • Vibration test was successfully conducted, marking progress in the mission's preparation.
• Enormous Data Volume:
  • NISAR is designed as a low earth orbit (LEO) observatory with a unique feature of generating an enormous volume of reliable, high-resolution data over a three-year mission life.
  • The data will be valuable for scientific research, monitoring applications, forest management, agriculture monitoring, and disaster monitoring.
• Open Science and Data Policy:
  • NISAR adopts an open science and open data policy, making it distinct in its scope.
  • Processed and validated data will be made open to the public on data servers in both India and the U.S., enhancing accessibility.
• Observation Capabilities:
  • NISAR employs synthetic aperture radar to scan Earth's land and ice-covered regions twice every 12 days in ascending and descending passes.
  • Capable of penetrating cloud cover and operating day and night, NISAR is expected to revolutionize earth-observing capabilities.
• Mission Objectives:
  • NISAR aims to provide spatially and temporally consistent data for understanding changes in Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, groundwater, and natural hazards.
  • It will serve as a reliable data source for disaster monitoring and mitigation.