The successful launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite marks a significant technological milestone in international collaboration for Earth observation, bringing together the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Texas Instruments (TI) in a decade-long partnership, reported Swedish based Science Web Portal EverTiq .

The project highlights the crucial role of semiconductors in advancing space technology, with TI’s radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant products playing a central role in enabling the complex radar imaging and scientific exploration payloads on board NISAR.

Designed to withstand the extreme conditions of space, TI’s components provide high precision, efficient power management, and robust data processing capabilities, thereby ensuring the reliability and resilience of the satellite’s systems.

NISAR is a pioneering Earth-observation mission, distinguished as the first of its kind to employ dual-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology. This powerful system enables the satellite to capture ultra-high-resolution images of Earth regardless of time of day or weather conditions.

Leveraging TI’s semiconductor technology, NISAR is able to implement advanced solutions for efficient power distribution, high-speed data transfer, and accurate signal sampling and timing, all of which are critical for handling the mission’s intricate payload requirements.

Functionally, the satellite has been designed to image the entire Earth every 12 days, producing a wealth of continuous data which scientists can use to monitor ecosystems, track environmental changes such as ice mass loss, vegetation biomass, and sea-level variations, and assess groundwater depletion. The data also holds immense potential for disaster management, enabling improved real-time monitoring of natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.

From ISRO’s perspective, the role of TI has gone far beyond the simple supply of hardware components. As highlighted by Nilesh Desai, Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre (SAC), TI’s technical contributions included guidance on product selection and sustained engineering support throughout multiple development cycles.

This structured approach enabled ISRO to meet stringent system-level requirements for a low-Earth orbit satellite, while ensuring compliance with demanding space-grade performance standards. The collaboration was particularly impactful in the integration of high-impact mixed-signal and analogue semiconductors, which are indispensable in creating robust and precise radar technologies for space applications.

For Texas Instruments, the success of NISAR underscores the company’s strategic role in advancing space missions globally. Elizabeth Jansen, TI India’s Sales and Applications Director, reflects on the collaboration as a culmination of TI’s six decades of semiconductor expertise adapted to the challenges of space.

She underscored that this project not only reinforces TI’s leadership in providing mission-critical, radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant technologies but also sets the stage for future innovations that will address the ever-evolving demands of the space industry.

With its expanding portfolio of space-grade products, TI is actively pushing technological boundaries and preparing solutions that will support the next generation of Earth observation and deep-space missions.

NISAR initiative represents a confluence of precision engineering, international collaboration, and technological innovation. The synergy between ISRO’s expertise in space systems and TI’s advancements in semiconductor technology culminated in a satellite capable of unprecedented Earth imaging capability, with applications that extend from climate science to disaster management.

Beyond serving as a landmark achievement in Indo-U.S. cooperation, NISAR also demonstrates how carefully engineered semiconductor solutions can significantly enhance mission capabilities and reliability.

This collaboration effectively establishes a benchmark for future space endeavours, reinforcing the importance of long-term industrial partnerships in advancing both scientific discovery and technological frontiers.

Based On EverTiq Report