'Missing from the plan': NISAR mission by ISRO and NASA likely postponed to next year
Produced by: Tarun Mishra
NISAR Mission Delay
The NISAR space mission, a collaboration between India and the United States, will not launch this year as it was not listed in ISRO's plans submitted to the Lok Sabha.
NISAR Overview
NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is designed for detailed Earth observations, capturing changes as small as one centimetre, and studying processes like glacier retreat, vegetation changes, and seismic activities.
Initial Launch Plans
Originally scheduled for launch in the first half of this year, NISAR had been assembled in the United States and delivered to Bengaluru last year.
Component Issue
During further testing, a 12-meter antenna required improvements, necessitating the spacecraft's return to the United States for upgrades earlier this year.
ISRO's Optimism
Despite these setbacks, ISRO had hoped for a second-half launch, but the Lok Sabha response indicates the mission is unlikely to proceed this year.
Other Planned Missions
ISRO plans to launch at least six missions in the next five months, including the first unmanned flight under the Gaganyaan program and the Spadex mission for space docking experiments.
Spadex Mission Details
The Spadex mission will demonstrate ISRO's capability to assemble satellite parts in space, laying the groundwork for a permanent space station by 2030. This mission is expected by November or December.
TDS-01 Mission
ISRO will launch the TDS-01 mission, a technology demonstration for an electronic propulsion system designed by the Institute for Plasma Research-Gandhinagar, later this year.
Additional Launches
The navigation satellite NVS-02 for India's IRNSS constellation will be launched by a GSLV rocket, and ISRO plans a launch of the newly introduced Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) rocket.