Mission Drishti- World’s First OptoSAR Satellite 

News: Indian space start-up GalaxEye has launched Mission Drishti, which is the world’s first OptoSAR satellite.

About Mission Drishti- World’s First OptoSAR Satellite

• GalaxEye has launched Mission Drishti, the world’s first OptoSAR satellite, using the Falcon 9 rocket from California, U.S.A.
• OptoSAR satellite: It is a modern satellite imaging system that combines optical cameras and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) in one satellite.
• It is designed to overcome the limitations of using only one type of imaging technology.
• How it works:
  • Optical cameras: They capture images like a regular digital camera.
    • They provide clear, detailed, and colourful pictures of the Earth.
    • However, they cannot work properly during cloudy weather, heavy smoke, or at night.
  • Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): It uses radar signals to create images of the Earth’s surface. It can work in all weather conditions, including clouds and rain, and it can also capture images at night.
    • However, SAR images are usually black and white and can be difficult to understand.
  • OptoSAR technology combines the advantages of both systems.
  • It can capture clear and detailed images like optical cameras while also working in poor weather and darkness like SAR.
• Uses: This technology helps scientists, researchers, and governments get more accurate and useful information about the Earth.
  • It is especially helpful for monitoring natural disasters, agriculture, forests, and environmental changes.
• Significance for India:
  • It can enable continuous border surveillance, uninterrupted crop tracking during monsoons and more reliable monitoring of large-scale projects.
  • It will help in farming, disaster response, coastline monitoring, and infrastructure planning, supporting both civilian and strategic needs.