Latest news with #GSLV
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: ISRO's EOS-09, Rare-earth magnets, and Left Wing Extremism
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for May 18, 2025. If you missed the May 17, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. What's the ongoing story: In a rare failure, India's main rocket PSLV developed problems a few minutes after take-off and failed to place earth observation satellite EOS-09 into the intended orbit in an early morning launch on Sunday. Key Points to Ponder: — What are the Earth observation satellites? — What are the different types of launch vehicles of ISRO? — What is the difference between PSLV and GSLV? — What are the various stages of rockets? — Learn about the important ISRO's missions – Aditya L1, Chandrayaan 4, Chandrayaan 5, Shukrayaan-1 — What do you understand by space debris? Key Takeaways: — 'Today's 101st launch was attempted. PSLV-C61 performance was normal till second stage. Due to an observation in the third stage, the mission could not be accomplished,' ISRO said. — This was the 101st mission launched by ISRO, and the 63rd one using the PSLV rocket, which is the most successful launch vehicle developed by India's space agency. — PSLV has failed on only two earlier occasions, the first time during its inaugural flight in 1993 and then in 2017 when the C-39 mission had been unsuccessful. — This is the second back-to-back failure for the space agency after its GSLV could not place NVS-02 satellite in the correct orbit during the space agency's 100th mission. After being placed in an incorrect elliptical orbit, the space agency started looking for alternative ways to utilise NVS-02 that has a mission life of 15 years. — This was also the second mission, after December's Spadex launch, where the PSLV was integrated at the newly built Payload Integration Facility (PIF) instead of the launch pad. The facility was designed to free-up launch pad while a mission was being put together in order to increase the frequency of launches. — The space agency was to put the 1,700-kg earth observation satellite at an altitude of about 597 km in a sun-synchronous polar orbit — meaning the satellite was to pass over a given place at the same time every day. The EOS-09 satellite carried a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, capable of providing images of the earth in all weather conditions. — The satellite was meant to work in tandem with the EOS-04 satellite launched in 2022, ensuring seamless continuity and increasing the observation frequency. — Importantly, in order to ensure a debris-free mission, the space agency had put on the satellite some fuel reserved for de-orbiting manoeuvre after the end of its life so that it would fall into the earth's and burn up within two years. Do You Know: — The data from the Earth Observation Satellites are used for several applications covering agriculture, water resources, urban planning, rural development, mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, ocean resources, and disaster management. — Space debris can include natural space debris such as meteoroids, or man-made ones which can include defunct spacecrafts and satellites, stages of rockets which have launched payloads, dead satellites, satellite explosions and collisions. — According to NASA, 'more than 25,000 objects larger than 10 cm are known to exist' as space debris and the estimated population of particles between 1 and 10 cm in diameter is approximately 500,000. According to NASA's estimates, as of January 2022, the amount of material orbiting the Earth exceeded 9,000 metric tons. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍ISRO to launch earth observation satellite on Sunday, its 101st mission Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (1) With reference to India's satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2018) 1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites. 2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth. 3. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 2 only (d) 3 only Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment. What's the ongoing story: New restrictions on rare earth magnets and related materials imposed by China, as a direct response to US imposing tariffs that kicked in from April 4, are beginning to impact automakers across the world, including electric vehicle manufacturers in India. Key Points to Ponder: — What are rare earth magnets? — What is its role in the automobile and electronics sector? — How have the reciprocal tariffs imposed by Trump has impacted the global supply chain of rare earth minerals? — How is India getting impacted? — What are the rare earth minerals found in India? — Why is it called rare earth minerals? Key Takeaways: — EV makers here are staring at a potential shortage of the critical components, which raises concerns of price hikes and production delays in a nascent, cost-sensitive segment of the auto market. — The Indian car industry is learnt to have initiated a conversation with the government to smoothen the process for procuring the rare earth magnets from Beijing. — Rare earth magnets, especially neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, are crucial for EV manufacturing, particularly in electric motors. They provide the strong magnetic fields needed for efficient and powerful electric motors, including traction motors that drive EVs. — These magnets also play a major role in other EV components like power steering systems, wiper motors, and braking systems. China has a near monopoly over these rare earth magnets. — While the availability of rare earth metals is not limited to China, it is in the efficient processing of these critical elements where Beijing has a substantial lead, which was once enjoyed by the US and Japan. — In recent years, Japan has been able to restart some of its minerals' processing industry owing to government policies, but countries like the US and India are heavily dependent on Chinese exports of these metals Do You Know: — India imported 2,270 tonnes of REEs in 2023-24, up 23 per cent from 1,848 tonnes in 2019-20, according to a recent press release from the Ministry of Mines. Imports from China accounted for 65 per cent, and another 10 per cent came from Hong Kong. — The 17 rare earth elements (REE) include the 15 Lanthanides (atomic numbers 57 — which is Lanthanum — to 71 in the periodic table) plus Scandium (atomic number 21) and Yttrium (39). REEs are classified as light RE elements (LREE) and heavy RE elements (HREE). — Some REEs are available in India — such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium, etc. Others such as Dysprosium, Terbium, and Europium, which are classified as HREEs, are not available in Indian deposits in extractable quantities. Hence, there is a dependence on countries such as China for HREEs, which is one of the leading producers of REEs, with an estimated 70 per cent share of the global production. — Despite the name – rare earth elements – these elements are not so rare. They are found in abundance in the Earth's crust. However, they're rarely found in concentrations that are economically viable for mining. Therefore, extracting and processing REEs is complex and expensive, requiring high-end techniques and specialised labour to isolate and purify them. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Explained: What are rare earth elements, and why is India keen to join a global alliance to ensure their supply? 📍What is India's share in rare earth elements, the backbone of modern technologies? Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (2) With reference to the Rare Earth Elements, consider the following statements: 1. These are crucial for manufacturing high-value goods in defence and clean energy. 2. The United States dominated rare earth elements, supplying 85 to 95 per cent of the world's demand. 3. Gadolinium (Gd) and holmium (Ho) are considered Rare Earth Elements. Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: India decided Saturday to place restrictions on Bangladeshi products being exported to North-East India and overseas. This appeared to be a reciprocal move given that Dhaka had been imposing non-tariff barriers on Indian exports to Bangladesh. Key Points to Ponder: — Read about the historical background of the India-Bangladesh relationship — What are the reasons for the recent crisis in their relationship? — What is the status of trade ties between India and Bangladesh? — What are the areas of cooperation and challenges between India and Bangladesh? — What is the role of China in all this? Key Takeaways: — The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under the Ministry of Commerce, issued a notification Saturday. It said the restrictions will not apply to import of fish, LPG, edible oil and crushed stone to India from Bangladesh. The restrictions will also not apply to Bangladesh exports to Nepal/Bhutan transiting through India, it said. — The curbs come a month-and-a-half after Bangladesh interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus said in Beijing that North-East India is 'landlocked' and Dhaka is the 'only guardian of the ocean for all this region' — he made the remark while seeking 'extension of the Chinese economy'. — India decided to impose port restrictions on specified Bangladesh exports to India across all land customs stations (LCSs) or integrated check posts (ICPs) in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram and through Changrabandha and Fulbari in north Bengal. — The products include readymade garments, wooden furniture, plastic and PVC finished goods, fruit-flavoured and carbonated drinks, baked goods, snacks, chips and confectionery items, and cotton yarn among others. — The rationale for the restrictions in the North-East is that India had earlier permitted export of Bangladesh goods via all LCS and ICP and through seaports without undue curbs. — But Bangladesh continues to impose port restrictions on Indian exports, particularly at LCSs and ICPs bordering North-East states despite the issue being raised at all relevant meetings for a long time now. — Due to landport restrictions by Bangladesh, North-East states suffer from lack of access to the Bangladeshi market to sell locally manufactured goods, restricting market access to primary agricultural goods only. Bangladesh, on the other hand, has free access to the entire North-East market, creating an unhealthy dependency and stymying growth of the manufacturing sector in the North-East, according to Delhi's view. Do You Know: — Bangladesh is India's biggest trade partner in South Asia and India is the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia. In the fiscal year 2023-24, Bangladesh exported goods worth USD 1.97 billion to India, and the total bilateral trade for that year amounted to USD 14.01 billion. — The illegal migration from Bangladesh to India continues to be a major concern in bilateral relations. This influx of migrants puts a strain on Indian border states, not only impacting their resources but also presenting a challenge to security. The problem of illegal migration has intensified with the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. — The growing influence of China in Bangladesh is a point of concern for India. Bangladesh is a member of China's Belt and Road Initiative. There is concern that China's increasing involvement with Bangladesh can challenge India's regional standing and impede its strategic aspirations. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Bangladesh Crisis and India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017) 1. The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim. 2. River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta. 3. River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Analyze internal security threats and transborder crimes along Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan borders including Line of Control (LoC). Also, discuss the role played by various security forces in this regard. (UPSC CSE 2018) Incidents of LWE-led violence down from 1,936 to 374 in 15 years: Centre Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Linkages between development and spread of extremism What's the ongoing story: The Centre said incidents of violence by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) have reduced to 374 in 2024 from its highest level of 1936 in 2010, on Saturday. Key Points to Ponder: — What is LWE? — What are the reasons for the rise of Naxalism in India? — What are the efforts taken by the government to curb LWE? — What is the Naxal Surrender policy? — How is terrorism different from Naxalism? — What is the linkage between development and the spread of extremism? — What is Mission Sankalp? Key Takeaways: — While the incidents of violence by LWE saw a reduction of 81 per cent, 'the total number of deaths, including civilians and security forces, has also reduced by 85 per cent — from 1005 deaths in 2010 to 150 in 2024,' a government press release said. — Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, 'It is true that Maoist violence had stalled the progress of many districts in Central and eastern India. That is why in 2015, our government formulated a comprehensive 'National Policy and Action Plan' to eradicate Maoist violence.' — The press release said, 'Recently, in one of the biggest anti-Naxal operations in the country's history, security forces achieved a major breakthrough in the fight against LWE along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.' — It said a massive operation was carried out between April 21 and May 11 2025, in the Karreguttalu Hill (KGH) region — a known stronghold of Naxalite groups. — The number of LWE-affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021 and to 38 in April 2024. — 'The government of India is committed to completely eliminate Naxalism by March 31 2026, since Naxalism is seen as the biggest obstacle in the development of remote areas and tribal villages, as it prevents education, healthcare, connectivity, banking, and postal services from reaching these villages,' said the statement. Do You Know: — Prakash Singh writes: The Maoist movement, it may be recalled, had touched a peak in 2010 when 223 districts across 20 states were affected by violence to some degree. Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Left-wing extremism (LWE) as the gravest internal security threat to the country. Heavy deployment of central armed police forces, however, gradually contained the geographical spread of Maoist influence. — States, unfortunately, consider LWE a national problem. They find it convenient to pass the buck to Delhi. The problem will not be conclusively dealt with until state forces take the lead in anti-Naxal operations and the central armed police forces play a subsidiary role only. This was a great lesson from the Punjab insurgency where the state police was always at the vanguard of all operations. — The whole-of-government approach is also missing on the ground. The security forces can deliver only up to a point. They can clear an area of Naxals but, thereafter, the administration has to step in and establish infrastructure. This is not happening, with the result that an area cleared yesterday is re-occupied by Maoists tomorrow. — There are fundamental problems that are adding fuel to the Naxal fire. India's forest cover is being gradually denuded. It is estimated that since 2008-2009, a total of 3,06,001 hectares of forest land was diverted for non-forestry use. Tribals inhabiting these forest areas were displaced in the process. Deprived of their land and any regular means of livelihood, many of them gravitated towards the Naxals — Yet another disturbing feature of our economy underlined by the World Inequality Lab (WIL) is the extreme levels of inequality. The WIL paper titled 'Income and Wealth Inequality in India, 1922-2023: The Rise of the Billionaire Raj' revealed that the share of wealth with the top 1 per cent of the population was 40.1 per cent in 2022-2023. — There has been much bloodletting on the Naxal front. Now that the government has the upper hand, it is the right time to initiate peace dialogue with the Naxal leadership. It would not be taken as a sign of weakness. In fact, it would be considered magnanimous. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍After the anti-Naxal operation: Time to heal, not conquer UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is showing a downward trend, but still affects many parts of the country. Briefly explain the Government of India's approach to counter the challenges posed by LWE. (2018) 📍What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in the Eastern part of India? What strategy should the Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas? (2020) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.; and Investment models What's the ongoing story: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 103 stations, including Bikaner's Deshnoke located nearly 200 km from the International Border with Pakistan, which have been redeveloped under the Railways' ambitious Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Bikaner on May 22 virtually, a senior Railways official told The Indian Express. Key Points to Ponder: — What is the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme? — What is the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model? — What are the different types of Public Private Partnership (PPP) modes? — What are the advantages of the EPC model? — What are the key issues associated with Indian railways? — Overcrowding at railway stations is a major issue. Discuss. — What steps need to be taken by the government to address these issues? Key Takeaways: — Some of the key stations redeveloped under the scheme, launched in 2022 aimed at transforming 1,337 stations into 'city centres', includes Rajasthan's Deshnoke & Mandalgarh, Gujarat's Dakor & Morbi, UP's Saharanpur junction & Govardhan station, Telangana's Begumpet, Bihar's Thawe junction, MP's Shajapur, Tamil Nadu's Srirangam, and Karnataka's Dharwad. — These stations are equipped with modern toilets, lifts, escalators, free Wi-Fi, improved passenger information system, waiting areas, executive lounges, bigger circulating area and grand porch, the official added. The building design is based on local culture and heritage. — According to officials, most stations are being redeveloped through the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model, meaning a contractor handles a project from start to finish. However, 20 projects — such as at Pune, Delhi junction, Vijayawada, and Chennai Central — are being implemented in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Do You Know: — Launched on December 23, 2022, the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme envisages to develop a station as a 'city centre', which will have modern facade, regulated traffic movement, well-lit, aesthetically pleasing grand porches, landscaping, and representation of local art and culture, signages and roof plazas. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Focus on improving crowd management under station redevelopment scheme: House Panel to Railways Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (4) With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian Railways, consider the following statements: (2015) 1. The decomposition of human waste in the bio toilets is initiated by a fungal inoculum. 2. Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are released into the atmosphere. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: On September 19, 1960, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammad Ayub Khan, then Pakistan President, signed the historic Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Karachi. This was the second major pact with Pakistan since its creation, the first being the Nehru-Noon pact of October 1958 on East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Key Points to Ponder: — Know the history of the Indus-Water Treaty — Know about the international water disputes of India — Why did India suspend the IWT? — What role is played by the World Bank in the IWT? — What are the major tributaries of the Indus? Key Takeaways: — The IWT, which survived four wars, decades of cross-border terrorism against India by Pakistan and opposition in India for over 64 years, was finally placed in abeyance on April 23, 2025, a day after 26 men were shot dead by terrorists in a Pahalgam meadow. — Water disputes between the two nations date back to Partition, starting with the contentious division of resources across the Indus river system. — Before signing the May 1948 pact, Pakistan was secretly trying to construct a channel upstream of Ferozepur to divert the Sutlej waters. Had this subterfuge not been detected in time, some of the Indian canals would have run dry. — Pakistan proposed approaching the Security Council and the International Court of Justice — a plan rejected by India. It was at this stage in 1951 that the World Bank offered to settle the issue. By 1954, the institution was ready with a proposal on allotment of the waters of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, except for minor uses in Jammu and Kashmir, to Pakistan, and those of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas to India. Though this allotment was accepted by India, Pakistan had reservations. — The biggest hold-up to the World Bank's proposal was the cost of replacement works, estimated to be nearly Rs 700 crore. Of that, Rs 620 crore — 60% of which was a grant — came from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, the US, West Germany and the World Bank. The rest, around Rs 83 crore, was to be given by India in 10 installments to the World Bank. The money was constituted as a separate fund, named the Indus Basin Development Fund, which was managed by the World Bank. — It was estimated that the replacement works would be completed within 10 years, starting from 1960. Pakistan was offered a three-year extension, if required, subject to a penalty of Rs 4 crore per annum. Six years after it was originally proposed, Pakistan finally agreed to sign the plan. — On the day he signed the IWT, Nehru announced that '… a very difficult and complicated problem which has troubled India and Pakistan for many years has been satisfactorily solved'. Though it was signed in September 1960, the proposal was effective from April 1960 onwards. — In May 1964, Nehru died. In August 1965, India went to war with Pakistan over territorial disputes, particularly Kashmir. A few months after the ceasefire in the 1965 war, there were demands to end the IWT. Do You Know: — The IWT was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960, following nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan. The Treaty has 12 Articles and 8 Annexures (from A to H). — According to the provisions of the Treaty, all the water of the 'Eastern Rivers' of the Indus system — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — shall be available for the 'unrestricted use' of India. Pakistan shall receive water from the 'Western Rivers' — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. — The Indus Waters Treaty lacks an exit clause, meaning neither India nor Pakistan can legally abrogate it unilaterally. — The Treaty has no end date, and any modification requires the consent of both parties. — But while the Treaty cannot be exited, it does contain a dispute resolution mechanism: Article IX, along with Annexures F and G, lays out procedures for raising grievances — first before the Permanent Indus Commission, then a neutral expert, and eventually, a forum of arbitrators. Indus River system — A river, along with its tributaries, is called a river system. The Indus River system comprises six rivers: Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej. The Indus and Sutlej are antecedent rivers, meaning they existed even before the formation of the Himalayas and cut deep gorges after originating in the Tibet region. The other four rivers – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Beas – originate in India. — The Indus Basin extends across four countries, namely China, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In India, the basin spans the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir as well as Chandigarh and the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. The total drainage area of the basin is approximately 3,21,289 sq. km, accounting for nearly 9.8% of India's total geographical area. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Knowledge Nugget | What should you know about the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 for the UPSC Exam? Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (5) With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus direct. Among the following, which one is such river that joins the Indus direct? (UPSC CSE 2021) (a) Chenab (b) Jhelum (c) Ravi (d) Sutlej ALSO IN NEWS Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ISRO and NASA's NISAR mission set to launch in June after years of preparation
After a prolonged wait, the Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) has finally set the ball rolling for the final preparatory stages of one of its most highly anticipated global collaborations. The collaborative mission with the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or NISAR, is scheduled to take off in June 2025. The ambitious Earth observation satellite will boast one of the largest and most advanced radar imaging systems ever to have been launched into space. When in operation, NISAR will offer a new window of the Earth's surface, with critical information about Earth's changing systems, natural hazards, and environmental change. NASA and ISRO coordinates to finalise NISAR mission in June As the satellite approaches completion, NASA and ISRO are coordinating to finalize the mission launch date. The launch vehicle that is the backbone of this mission, GSLV-F16, will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. One of the most significant milestones during this preparation phase is the movement of the second stage of GSLV rocket from the ISRO Propulsion Complex to the launch pad. This means that the vehicle and satellite integration is near, and the mission is now well on its way towards its final implementation phase. The SAC based in Ahmedabad, which is one of the premier organisations of ISRO working on building the S-band radar for use by NISAR, has taken a serious effort at inducting the private sector. SAC recently organized a workshop in which it invited start-ups and new-entry firms to look for commercial spin-offs out of the mission. The workshop was focused on pushing the technological advances in Earth observation technologies by leveraging the high-technology radar capability of NISAR. With this initiative, ISRO is not just bringing its scientific knowledge but also catalyzing industry collaboration in order to release maximum applications in the real world from space-borne data across agriculture and forest, urbanization, and climate sensing. NISAR's radar technology integrates ISRO and NASA expertise NISAR has been under development for almost a decade, one of India and the US's most visible cooperative space science missions. Despite the global setbacks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists in the two nations stayed on course. The mission revolves around a cutting-edge dual-frequency radar system. The L-band radar was designed by NASA with a longer wavelength, which works extremely well to penetrate vegetation, ice, and even dirt. It is therefore extremely helpful in monitoring forests, agricultural fields, and polar regions. ISRO built the S-band radar, however, which has higher resolution to monitor surface-level changes with more details. The two radar systems were phased in. ISRO's S-band radar was transported to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California in March 2021, where it was combined with the L-band system. By March 2023, the combined radar payload was shipped to the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, where the testing was finally done and the radar was integrated with the satellite platform. NISAR to offer global Earth monitoring every 12 days NISAR will monitor nearly the entire land and ice surface of the Earth every twelve days. The satellite will capture high-resolution images that will transform our knowledge of a broad variety of environmental and geological processes. These include tracking glaciers and polar ice caps, which are key indicators of climate change. The satellite will also monitor displacements in the Earth's crust and thus be an important tool to observe and study earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Apart from this, NISAR will also have a significant role in mapping vegetation cover, forest biomass, agricultural crop stages, soil moisture, and water bodies. The mission is going to be highly beneficial for nations that are threatened by climate change and natural disasters since the data is going to be made available. This open access policy can facilitate better decision-making in disaster response, environmental management, urban planning, and resources management. Originally scheduled to lift off in the early part of 2024, the mission was delayed due to the necessity for corrective actions on one of its modules stationed in the U.S. Overcoming those teething troubles, the satellite is now scheduled for a mid-2025 lift-off, and into an all-important phase of operational readiness. ISRO prepares for multiple high-profile missions in the coming months While NISAR is certainly a front-page mission, ISRO has a hectic schedule for the remainder of the year with other high-profile activities. Possibly most prominent of these is the launch of the PSLV-C61 carrying the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-09. The satellite, with a C-band synthetic aperture radar onboard, will provide high-resolution imagery of Earth's surface. Like NISAR, EOS-09 will be operational in all weather and at night, and hence will be a powerful instrument for civil as well as scientific applications. The second test flight of the Gaganyaan programme is another significant mission on ISRO's list. The mission, known as TV-D02, will flight-test the crew escape system in a simulated abort mission. This mission is for protecting the lives of future astronauts and involves a sea-based recovery mission for the crew module. The Gaganyaan project, which will take Indian astronauts to outer space, has recently cleared with a new budget of ₹20,193 crore, reiterating the seriousness of the government to position India as a serious human spaceflight player. India's lunar ambitions soar with Chandrayaan-4 and future space station plans India's ambitions reach far beyond Earth orbit. The recently approved Chandrayaan-4 mission has been greenlit with a budget of ₹2,104 crore and will bring back samples from the Moon's southern high latitudes by October 2027. It will be a landmark for ISRO, with India's maiden lunar sample-return mission and an upgrade to its status in the global scientific fraternity. Down the line, ISRO has two ambitious goals for the coming decades. The first is to build a full-fledged Indian space station, the Bhartiya Antariksh Station, by 2035. The second is even more ambitious: landing an Indian astronaut on the Moon safely by 2040. These long-term goals show India's resolve to become one of the leading space powers of the world, with autonomous scientific exploration and distant space capabilities. Also Read | NASA reveals how 60 years of climate change have transformed Earth from vibrant blue to a troubled world
India Today
28-04-2025
- Science
- India Today
Isro begins preparation to launch Nisar mission to space aboard GSLV Mk-II
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered the final phase of preparations for the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) mission, a collaboration set to revolutionise Earth observation. Initially planned for 2024, the launch faced multiple delays due to technical challenges, including overheating risks in the satellite's 12-meter radar antenna reflector. The component was shipped back to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 2024 for a reflective coating upgrade to mitigate temperature concerns during After rigorous retesting, the satellite was fully integrated at ISRO's Bengaluru facility by October 2024. NASA's C-130 aircraft transported critical hardware to India in a multi-leg journey, with final assembly completed by January 2025. The spacecraft has since been shipped to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, where ISRO is now conducting pre-launch Chairman V. Narayanan recently indicated an upcoming 2025 launch window during a meeting with Science Minister Jitendra Singh. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark II's second stage was flagged off to Sriharikota on April 26, 2025, signalling advanced launch campaign will employ dual-band radar (L-band and S-band) to scan the Earth's surface every 12 days, detecting sub-centimeter changes in landforms, ice sheets, and ecosystems. Its high-resolution data will aid disaster management, climate research, and infrastructure monitoring. 'Nisar will measure Earth's surface changes weekly, with each pixel covering half a tennis court,' said NASA JPL project scientist Paul mission indicates deepening Indo-US space ties and positions ISRO as a key player in global Earth science initiatives. If successful, Nisar's datasets could transform understanding of crustal deformations, glacier dynamics, and carbon cycle the GSLV now at SDSC and payload integration underway, ISRO is set to deliver one of 2025's most anticipated space missions, pending final agency clearances.
News18
28-04-2025
- Science
- News18
A Decade In The Making: ISRO And NASA Finalise Preparations For NISAR Launch In June
Last Updated: The mission is likely to lift off this June, deploying one of the largest and most advanced radar systems in space to provide an unprecedented view of the Earth After a prolonged delay, ISRO has kicked off the launch campaign for its much-anticipated collaboration with US-based NASA. The mission — NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) — is likely to lift off this June, deploying one of the largest and most advanced radar systems in space to provide an unprecedented view of the Earth. With work on the landmark satellite nearly complete, the two space agencies are now reviewing potential launch dates for the mission in June. The second stage of the GSLV has been transported from the ISRO Propulsion Complex to the launch complex at Sriharikota, from where the mission, designated GSLV-F16, will take off. The Space Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad, which led the development of NISAR's S-band radar, has also invited private start-ups to a workshop this week. The event aims to explore potential commercial applications in Earth observation based on NISAR's advanced capabilities and to encourage innovation and development of new technical opportunities. UNPRECEDENTED VIEW OF EARTH NISAR has been nearly a decade in the making, with scientists from both India and the United States meticulously developing the mission's two scientific payloads — even through the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. While NASA developed the L-band radar for longer-wavelength imaging, ISRO and the Space Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad built the complementary S-band radar. The S-band radar was transported to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in March 2021, where it was integrated with the L-band system. Two years later, in March 2023, the fully integrated payload was shipped to the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru for final preparations. Both radar systems are capable of peering through cloud cover and operating day and night. Initially scheduled for an early 2024 launch, the mission was delayed after one of its components had to be sent back to the US for corrections. The dual-frequency radar will scan nearly all of Earth's land and ice-surfaces twice every 12 days to measure any changes, growth and retreat of its land, and sea-ice. According to ISRO, the mission will provide comprehensive, high-resolution data — freely available — to track parameters such as crop cover, forest biomass and disturbance, mangrove spread, soil moisture, surface water extent, glacier dynamics, wet snow cover, and even ocean surface wind speeds. The satellite will also be capable of detecting movements in the Earth's crust, including earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity. GAGANYAAN SECOND TEST VEHICLE MISSION SOON… Apart from the upcoming NISAR launch, ISRO has a packed schedule of major missions this summer. Among them is the PSLV-C61, which will carry the EOS-09 satellite. Equipped with a C-band synthetic aperture radar, the satellite will be capable of capturing high-resolution images of Earth's surface in all weather conditions, both day and night. The TV-D02, the second test vehicle mission of the Gaganyaan programme is also planned for launch. This mission will simulate an abort scenario and test the crew escape system through sea-recovery operations for the crew module for India's first-ever human spaceflight. The government recently revised the total budget for Gaganyaan to Rs 20,193 crore. Additionally, Chandrayaan-4 has been recently sanctioned with a total cost of Rs 2104 crore with the target to collect lunar samples from the southern high latitudes and return the samples to Earth for scientific study in October 2027. ISRO also has set its aim on building a Bhartiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and landing an astronaut on the Moon by 2040. First Published:
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
ISRO successfully conducts short duration hot test of semicryogenic engine
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted a short duration hot test of the semicryogenic engine at its facility in the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. This ignition test conducted on April 24, 2025 is the second milestone after the successful first hot test on March 28, 2025, that was a major breakthrough in the testing of the semicryogenic engine test programme. In this test, the Engine Power Head Test Article, encompassing all engine systems except the thrust chamber, was subjected to a hot test for a duration of 3.5 seconds that validated the engine start-up sequence. During the test, the engine was successfully ignited and operated up to 60% of its rated power level, demonstrating stable and controlled performance. 'These tests are part of a planned series of evaluations designed to validate the design integrity and performance of critical subsystems, including the low-pressure and high-pressure turbo pumps, pre-burner and associated control systems. The results provided crucial data to finalise the operational sequencing of the full semicryogenic engine,' ISRO said. Further qualification tests are scheduled to comprehensively validate the engine system, ultimately paving the way for its induction into ISRO's launch vehicles. NISAR satellite Meanwhile, the launch campaign activities for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite onboard the GSLV-F16 has already commenced in Sriharikota, ISRO said. The Second Stage (GS2) of ISRO's GSLV launch vehicle was flagged off by V. Narayanan, Secretary, Department of Space/ Chairman, ISRO, on March 24, 2025, from the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, to the launch complex at Sriharikota. 'The Directors of ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) and Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) also participated in the flag-off ceremony. This liquid stage is earmarked for the upcoming mission of GSLV (GSLV-F16), that will launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite,' ISRO said.
