Monitoring Earth With NISAR :

 

Accurate and timely data about changes on Earth is essential for everything from growing crops to managing natural disasters. That’s where space technology can playakey role.

 

The NASAISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, an Earth-observing radar satellite jointly developed by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is among the most advanced tools to monitor changes on our planet. Akshata Krishnamurthy, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), serves as the science phase lead for the NISAR mission - one of the key figures driving the project. By combining science, engineering and international collaboration, her work supports efforts to improve food security, disaster response and environmental management,

 

benefiting communities in both India and the United States. Excerpts from an interview with Krishnamurthy. What inspired you to pursue a career in aerospace engineering and Earth observation, and how did your journey lead you to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory? Growing up in India and watching space shuttle launches on TV in the early 2000s ignited a curiosity to learn what lies beyond Earth, but also to understand our own planet better.

 

That early spark evolved into a deep interest in working on technologies that could push the boundaries of human knowledge. I pursued a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in India and then a master’s and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering in the United States. Driven by the desire to work on space missions, I specialised in space systems and instrument development during my Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and had the incredible opportunity to work on two NASA space missions for my doctoral thesis.

 

My path to NASA JPL was shaped by years of handson research, perseverance and an unwavering vision to be part of missions that have real-world impact. Today, I am grateful to be working on missions like NISAR that combine science, engineering and global collaboration to benefit millions of people around the world. Can you give an overview of the NISAR mission and its significance for Earth observation? NISAR is the first observatory of its kind in space to systematically map Earth, using two different radar frequencies, L-band and S-band, to measure changes in our planet’s surface with unmatched detail and consistency.

 

The primary objective of the mission is to track subtle changes in Earth’s surface that may signal ecosystem disturbances, ice sheet collapse, volcanic eruptions or landslides. The mission will produceavast amount of data that will be transformative for scientists, policymakers and communities. What are some potential real-world applications of NISAR’s data for India and the United States? The ability to capture subtle changes in Earth’s surface will make NISAR an invaluable tool. The satellite’s observations of forests, wetlands, agricultural fields and soil moisture will be key to supporting food and water security.

 

Data from NISAR will also enable a better understanding of the dynamics of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and coastal processes such as erosion. This information will be critical for local and regional governments to make informed decisions on protecting infrastructure and real estate, as well as community planning. Given the US-India collaboration on NISAR, what do you see as the strengths of such international partnerships in space research? In my opinion, international partnerships like NISAR leverage complementary capabilities, broaden scientific perspectives and increase access to space-based observations and data.

 

They foster long-term cooperation as well as the sharing of resources and knowledge between countries. Missions like NISAR help to build a more robust knowledge ecosystem and demonstrate how science and engineering can unite us in addressing global problems. With the fast pace of technological change, how does NASA-JPL stay ahead in developing cutting-edge tools and methodologies for space exploration? In my experience, innovation is a part of the culture at JPL. Missions like NISAR are born from decades of foundational research.

 

We continuously invest in research and development, working across disciplines and collaborating with universities, government agencies and commercial companies. We’re always looking ahead, developing technologies that can support missions a decade or two from now. What emerging trends in Earth observation and space exploration do you find exciting? I am particularly excited about the integration of Earth observations with artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver real-time insights at scale. On the space exploration front, I am excited about more interplanetary missions with autonomous systems and human-robot collaboration for exploring the Moon and Mars. It is a thrilling time to be working in space exploration. (SPAN) ■