NASA Official Praises India’s Space Programme: Chandrayaan-3 Spurs Unprecedented Respect

The joint mission between India and the United States to study climate change using the world’s most expensive Earth imaging satellite is nearing its completion, with the launch expected in the first quarter of 2024, according to a senior NASA official. Laurie Leshin, the Director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, spoke exclusively to NDTV and highlighted the significance of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) in predicting natural hazards like earthquakes and tsunamis. Leshin also emphasized the immense respect garnered by India’s space program following the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

NISAR, a collaborative effort between ISRO and NASA, is a low earth orbit observatory designed to map the entire Earth within 12 days. It will provide consistent data on changes in the planet’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation, sea level rise, groundwater levels, and natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and landslides. Leshin explained that the satellite’s precise observations of the Earth’s surface changes will aid in understanding the impacts of climate change, which in turn will impact people’s lives globally.

The collaboration between NASA and ISRO has been a successful endeavor, involving engineers from both organizations working closely together. Scientists from ISRO also contributed to the radar development at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California before it was transported to Bengaluru to be integrated with the spacecraft. Leshin praised the teamwork between the teams, highlighting the mutual learning experience and innovation that arises from the combination of different ideas and approaches.

Leshin expressed her admiration for India’s space program, stating that the success of Chandrayaan-3 has further elevated the already high level of respect for it. She emphasized NASA’s eagerness to establish more partnerships with ISRO and applauded India’s accomplishments in space exploration.

As for the launch of NISAR, it is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024, and both space agencies have agreed to proceed only when they are fully prepared. The spacecraft will undergo rigorous testing following the attachment of solar panels to ensure its functionality and resilience in the space environment.