NASA AND INDIA CREATE SATELLITE TO MAP EARTH WITH CENTIMETER PRECISION. (PHOTO).

 NASA and India create satellite to map Earth with centimeter precision

NASA and India are set to launch a satellite on Wednesday from India’s southeastern coast that will map Earth’s surface with centimeter-level accuracy. The Indian Space Research Organization will launch the rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center at 5:40 p.m. local time, according to a NASA news release. NASA will broadcast the launch starting at 7 a.m. EDT on Wednesday from its Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California via YouTube.

The satellite, roughly the size of a pickup truck, will orbit Earth 14 times daily, scanning nearly all land and ice twice every 12 days. It is the first satellite to use a dual-radar system combining L-band and S-band frequencies, known as the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR). This technology enables 3D mapping of Earth’s surface, allowing scientists to measure changes with high precision. The satellite’s radar can penetrate clouds and light rain, operating day and night, which will enhance monitoring of earthquake zones, landslides, and glacial ice changes, especially in Antarctica. The data will aid disaster preparedness for hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions, as well as improve understanding of natural hazards and support infrastructure and agriculture monitoring. Managed by Caltech’s JPL, the U.S. team developed key components like the L-band radar and antenna, while NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center will receive the data for further analysis.