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VK7AX > WIA 02.08.26 08:26l 53 Lines 3371 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 15109_VK7AX
Subj: NISAR Opens a New Window on Earth. Amateur Radio Operators C
Path: IZ3LSV<ED1ZAC<CX2SA<VK7AX
Sent: 260802/0620Z 15109@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.AUNZ LinBPQ6.0.24
NISAR Opens a New Window on Earth. Amateur Radio Operators Can Benefit Too.
Date : 31 / 07 / 2026
Author : NASA
The joint NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission has reached another significant milestone,
with the public release of data from its powerful L-band and S-band radar instruments.
Scientists, researchers and anyone with an interest in Earth observation can now access an ever-growing
archive of radar imagery capable of revealing subtle changes to our planet's surface, from moving glaciers
and sinking cities to forests, wetlands and earthquake damage.
Unlike conventional optical satellites, NISAR uses Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), allowing it to image
the Earth's surface day and night and through cloud cover.
Orbiting the Earth every 12 days, the satellite systematically maps almost every land and ice-covered
surface on the planet using two complementary radar frequencies.
One of the first publicly released images has already captured worldwide attention, revealing what appears
to be a giant hummingbird hidden within the fractured Antarctic ice.
In reality, the spectacular image shows glacier ice flowing around a mountain peak, demonstrating both
the scientific power and unexpected beauty of radar imaging.
For Australian amateur radio operators, NISAR represents more than another impressive space mission.
Radar and radio have always shared common roots, and many of the same principles used in amateur radio,
including antenna design, microwave engineering, digital signal processing and propagation, underpin
spaceborne radar systems.
NISAR's L-band radar operates at approximately 1.26 GHz, only a short distance below the amateur
23-centimetre band, while its S-band radar operates around 3.2 GHz, between our 13 cm and 9 cm allocations.
Although the mission operates well outside amateur allocations and uses highly specialised equipment,
it provides a fascinating real-world example of how radio frequency engineering is solving global
scientific challenges.
The freely available datasets also offer opportunities for citizen scientists, universities and
technically minded amateurs interested in remote sensing, image processing and geospatial analysis.
As software-defined radio and open-source signal processing continue to grow in popularity, projects
such as NISAR demonstrate how radio technology extends far beyond making contacts on the HF bands.
Meanwhile, India's rapidly expanding space sector has celebrated another milestone with Skyroot Aerospace
successfully testing its Vikram-1 launch vehicle.
The test marks another important step for India's first private orbital launch company and highlights
the country's growing capability to place small satellites into space.
With more satellites comes more opportunity for radio amateurs to track, receive telemetry and,
in some cases, communicate through amateur payloads in the years ahead.
Website: Link >> https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/us-india-satellite-delivers-data-reveals-hummingbird-in-antarctica/
Page Last Updated: Friday, 31 Jul 2026 at 07:55 hours by Justin Giles-clark
(Sourced from https://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2026/20260731-1/index.php)
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Posted to the packet radio network on behalf of WIA courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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