In 1992, under U S President H. w George Bush had slapped sanctions on Indian Space Research
Organisation (Isro) and prevented Russia from sharing cryogenic engine technology with the
Indian space agency so as to check India from making of GSLV missiles. Two decades later,
U S space agency Nasa has joined hands with Isro to codevelop the world's most expensive
earth imaging satellite that will cost the two countries over $1.5 billion and will be
launch by same GSLV missile whose cryogenic engine development was once under sanction
in 1992, under U S government pressure. The GSLV is likely to place this Nasa-Isro Synthetic
Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite into orbit in 2021.
Leaving the past behind, Isro and Nasa are busy building the 2,200kg NISAR satellite,
which will provide a detailed view of the earth by using advanced radar imaging. It
is being designed to observe and take measurements of some of the planet's complex processes,
including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet collapse and natural hazards. Nasa became
interested in Isro when the Indian space agency in April 2012 launched the country's first
indigenous radar imaging satellite (Risat-1), some people called it a spy satellite, which
enabled imaging of the earth's surface during day and night under all weather conditions.
The negotiations went on for two years but the formal agreement for NISAR satellite happened
when Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed a declaration with former US President Barack
Obama during his visit to the US in 2014. The objective behind the collaboration was
to use the satellite for the "benefit of humanity" as the mapping data from this satellite will
be available for all. Currently the isro's Ahmedabad-based Space
Application Centre (SAC) is flight testing the "mini version" of the radar satellite
over the city skies. The "mini radar" developed by SAC has been fixed on a Beechcraft Super
King B 200 aircraft owned by Isro, for the flight-testing primarily to 'understand weather
and geographical conditions'. SAC director Tapan Misra said, "We are testing the radar
by taking images from about 8km above the sea level. The same area will be further studied
by scientists from the ground level to understand the radar's accuracy level." The satellite,
once put into its sun-synchronous dawn to dusk orbit, will map the entire world
in 12 days.
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