NASA has announced that the launch of the NISAR satellite, a project between the U.S. and India, will be postponed until after February 2025. This delay is due to ongoing work on the satellite’s large deployable antenna and specific requirements related to its orbit.

Background on NISAR

NISAR stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar. It is a big joint project between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aimed at enhancing Earth observation. This mission is important because it is the first major collaboration between the two space agencies, with NASA investing over $1 billion into it.

Launch Scheduling Complications

The delay is mainly because of issues with the satellite’s large antenna, which is 12 meters wide. NASA discovered that the antenna needed a special coating after finding out that temperature changes could cause problems when the antenna was stored. This summer, the antenna was sent back from India to fix these issues. NASA also noted that the satellite needs to be launched at specific times to avoid problems caused by temperature changes from sunlight and shadows. These changes could affect how the antenna’s boom unfolds. Therefore, NISAR cannot be launched between early October 2024 and early February 2025.

Scientific Goals

Once it launches, NISAR will use advanced radar to monitor various Earth phenomena, like glacier movements and volcanic activity. It is designed to map the entire Earth every 12 days, which will greatly support ongoing Earth science research.

About NISAR

• Mission and Purpose: NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a joint mission planned for 2024 to track changes on Earth’s surface using a high-tech radar system.
• Capabilities and Features: NISAR can detect surface changes as small as a few centimeters and will map forests, glaciers, and natural hazards. It’s the first mission to use both L-band and S-band radar.
• Impact and Collaboration: The satellite will work for over three years and aid climate change studies. NISAR showcases the international teamwork between NASA and ISRO in Earth science research.