Scientists Are Preparing To Put Into Orbit A Satellite That Will Monitor The Movements Of The Earth’s Crust

Scientists from the USA and India are preparing to put into orbit a new NISAR satellite, which will make it possible to monitor complex geological processes, including movements of the earth’s crust, changes in the level of the oceans, and to predict volcanic eruptions.

The American space agency held a ceremony to send to India the key instrument of the new satellite, the so-called synthetic aperture radar. It will be launched into orbit in 2024.

See NISAR in @NASAJPL's clean room today at 5pm ET (2200 UTC). Set to launch from India in 2024, it will measure the movement of Earth’s surfaces to provide info on trends that affect global challenges like food security. https://t.co/6Hi8AyIQ1D

— NASA (@NASA) February 3, 2023

NISAR will be the first satellite to use dual frequencies (in the L and S microwave bands). This will make it possible to systematically carry out cartography of the earth’s crust with an accuracy of changes up to 1 centimeter. Thanks to this, NISAR will be able to capture even the slightest nuances of earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena. In addition, it will allow monitoring the development of the crust, the impact of global warming on the ice sheet and ecosystem crises.

The satellite will orbit the planet every 12 days and conduct research day and night under any weather conditions and on any terrain.