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ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation, has a busy schedule ahead with several upcoming missions. Aditya-L1, the country’s first space-based observatory dedicated to studying the Sun, is set to launch in the first week of September.

The launch of a climate observation satellite, INSAT-3DS, and a test vehicle mission for the crew escape system validation of Gaganyaan, India’s first human space flight, are also on the horizon.

ISRO Chairman, Somanath S, mentioned in his independence day address that they will be launching NISAR, the India-US Synthetic Aperture Radar. This joint collaboration between ISRO and NASA aims to map the entire globe within 12 days, providing consistent data on Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, groundwater, and natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides.

NISAR carries a dual-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that operates with the Sweep SAR technique to achieve high-resolution data with a large swath. The SAR payloads, integrated with the Radar Instrument Structure (IRIS) and the spacecraft bus, together form the observatory. This mission will contribute significantly to our understanding of Earth’s dynamics.

Before the Gaganyaan human space flight, two unmanned missions have been planned. The first unmanned crew module mission is expected to take place by the beginning of next year. The objective of the Gaganyaan mission is to demonstrate India’s capability to conduct human space flights to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) using an Indian launch vehicle. The crew module, which serves as the living quarters for the crew, will orbit Earth at approximately 400km for one to three days before returning to a designated location at sea.

ISRO remains focused on not only advancing their scientific research but also on strengthening the country’s security. Their hands are full with the upcoming launches and the development of numerous satellites for various purposes.

With these exciting missions on the horizon, ISRO is poised to make significant contributions to space exploration and Earth observation.

The post ISRO’s Packed Schedule: Sun Study, Climate Observation, Gaganyaan Test Vehicle, and NISAR appeared first on satProviders.