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The first images from the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Earth-observing radar satellite have been released. The joint mission between NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) was launched on July 30th and is currently in its commissioning phase. The satellite is expected to commence full science operations by year’s end.
The image above of Maine’s Mount Desert Island was captured by the satellite’s L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, provided by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The dark areas represent water, while green areas are forest, and magenta areas are hard or regular surfaces, such as bare ground and buildings.
The spacecraft is the first to carry both L- and S-band radars with ISRO's S-band system more sensitive to light vegetation and moisture in snow. The 39-foot (12-meter) wide drum-shaped antenna reflector will monitor Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, recording changes to the planet’s ecosystem and tracking movement of ice sheets and glaciers.
The satellite was raised into its operational 464-mile (747-km) orbit in mid-September.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NISAR's First Radar Images of Earth’s Surface
NISAR’s image of the northeastern North Dakota’s Forest River regions. Light-colored wetlands and forests line the river’s banks. The dark agricultural plots show fallow fields, while the lighter colors represent the presence of pasture or crops, such as soybean and corn. Circular patterns indicate the use of center-pivot irrigation.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech