|
|
NISAR: Revolutionising Global Earth Observation Through Synthetic Aperture Radar
The NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) mission, a pioneering collaboration between the United States and India, marks a significant leap in our ability to monitor Earth's complex
processes.
As the first hardware-integrated dual-frequency (L-band and S-band) radar mission, NISAR will provide a global, high-resolution temporal record of the planet’s changing crust, ice sheets, and ecosystems. The mission’s primary science objectives include measuring
surface deformations with sub-centimetre precision to better understand natural hazards—such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides—as well as tracking the dynamics of sea ice and glaciers.
Join us for a talk covering a high-level overview of these primary science objectives of the mission!
Date: Fri 15 May
Time: 12pm AEST
Tickets (Free)
Our guest speaker, Dr Paul A Rosen, will also discuss NISAR’s role in biomass estimation and carbon cycle monitoring. With its open-data policy and systematic global
mapping strategy, NISAR is poised to provide a foundational dataset for the global Earth Observation community, enabling more informed decision-making in the face of environmental change.
|
|
|
|
More about Dr Rosen:
Dr Paul A Rosen is a Project Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and a leading
international expert in Radar Science and Engineering. With over 35 years of experience in Earth and planetary remote sensing, Dr. Rosen currently serves as the NASA Project Scientist for the NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) mission - a landmark partnership between the
United States and India to provide global, high-resolution measurements of Earth's changing ecosystems, dynamic surfaces, and ice masses.
|
|
|
|
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is officially bringing their next-generation hyperspectral sensor, AVIRIS-3, to Australia for a
6-week joint airborne campaign starting in October 2026. University of New England is leading this with CSIRO and TERN.
This is an opportunity for EOA members to get NASA grade hyperspectral data over a specified study area.
NASA will provide the instrument, the operations team, and deliver all processed radiance/reflectance data openly.
In return, the Australian EO community will coordinate mission, capture Australia’s TERN sites, and in-situ ground truthing.
Why AVIRIS-3? It is a cryogenic imaging spectrometer (380–2500 nm / 7.4nm spectral sampling) capable of spatial resolutions from 0.5m to 13m. It’s a game-changer for
mapping inland and coastal water quality, ecosystem/vegetation health, bushfire fuels, and critical surface geology.
The organisers are currently compiling the target flight lines and need to map out Australian expertise and priority sites.
Want to be included?
To get your research site included in the flight planning, we need the following ASAP:
-
Read the linked JPL slide deck for the full campaign details and capabilities
-
[Optional] Watch the webinar EOA held on this topic earlier this year
-
Complete the linked Expression of Interest form
-
Create a .KML file clearly defining your proposed target site boundary
|
|
|
|
What does it cost? Is it free? There is a nominal
cost of flight per day, and if data is a priority for your team’s research, there is an option to pay for priority. If you/your team cannot afford to assist financially, you can complete an EOI for free and the organising team will do their best.
Please send your completed EOI document and your KML file to
Bradley Evans, EOA Vice President, as soon as possible so the organisers can consolidate the flight plans and ensure requested sites are represented.
Please reach out to
Bradley if you have any questions or want to bounce some ideas around before submitting.
|
|
|
|
Follow
EOA on LinkedIn for news and announcements that pop up in between newsletters.
|
|
|
|
|
Advancing Earth Observation Forum
|
|
|
|
|
EOA’s flagship event, the Advancing Earth Observation (AEO) Forum, will be held from 9 - 12 November 2026 in Hobart, Tasmania!
Open now:
|
|
|
|
|
AI Sensors and Transducers 2026
|
|
|
|
|
The third international conference on AI Sensors and Transducers - AIS2026 - is coming up this August, from the 2nd - 7th,
in South Korea.
As part of the conference, the Remote Sensing and Its Applications symposium focuses on the latest advances in remote sensing
technologies and their wide-ranging applications in environmental monitoring, agriculture, urban planning, and disaster management. If you'd like to participate and meet a global community of specialists and experts, the deadline for abstracts is 12 May.
Full details can be found: https://sciforum.net/event/AIS2026
|
|
|
|
