We Want Our Astronauts To Be Trained At US Facilities For Exposure To Fly To ISS: ISRO Chief

The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) chairman S Somanath said on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, that the announcement that NASA is working to send Indian astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) is based on discussions at the meeting of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden. Somanath also said that NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated that Indian astronauts will be flying to the ISS in an American weight, news agency ANI reported. 

The ISRO Chief stated that the whole programme should be done in such a manner that it benefits India, and that ISRO wants Indian astronauts, and the astronaut handling, medical and control teams to be trained at the US facilities. He explained that in this way, the Indian astronauts will get exposure for flying to the ISS. So, this will help India make the Gaganyaan programme better.

#WATCH | Kolkata: ISRO Chief S Somanath on NASA working to send Indian astronaut to the space station; says, “It’s an announcement based on our PM and President of the US meeting and this idea was mooted. We are taking it forward that’s what the NASA chief said that Indian… pic.twitter.com/Bep2DTQhRB

— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2023

Nelson reached India on November 28, 2023, to participate in week-long discussions, meetings and events to grow NASA’s partnership with ISRO. He wrote on X that India is a leader in space.

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NASA and ISRO are set to launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite in the first quarter of 2024. A few tests, such as those related to vibration, will be conducted before NISAR is launched. 

NISAR will be launched aboard ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. NISAR has a planned duration of three years. 

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NISAR is an Earth observing satellite that plans to analyse and survey all of Earth’s lands and ice-covered surfaces every 12 days. However, there will be a 90-day satellite commissioning period in the beginning. This means that the satellite will become operational 90 days after launch. 

NISAR will give the world an unprecedented view of Earth by observing Earth’s dynamic surface and interior, Earth’s cold regions, terrestrial ecosystems, and water. 

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With the help of NISAR’s data, people worldwide can better manage natural resources and hazards, and scientists will obtain information to better understand the effects and pace of climate change, according to NASA. The world will also be able to better understand Earth’s crust. 

It is important to measure Earth’s changing ecosystems, ice masses, and dynamic surfaces because this will provide information about biomass, sea level rise, natural hazards, and groundwater, all of which may help evade certain disasters, or keep vulnerable regions prepared. 

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NISAR is a unique mission because it will collect radar data in two microwave bandwidth regions. These are the L-band and the S-band. This will allow NISAR to measure changes on the surface of the planet, including movements as small as a centimetre. 

NASA has provided the L-band SAR payload, and ISRO has contributed the S-band SAR payload.

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