Asia Pacific Remote Sensing symposium got formally started in New Delhi on Monday.
The event was inaugurated by MoS for Department of Space Jitendra Singh. Speaking to media, Singh said, “Space today is not only restricted to Sri Hari Kota but is expanding. Today challenges of housing, environment, water resources and more significantly agriculture can be be solved by development of space technology.”
The symposium that would primarily discuss about the space technology dealing with climate change will have 150 international participants. Also there is a stall where the exhibitors, both national and international will be displaying the new space technology related to the field of remote sensing. This is for the second time that such an event is being held in India, the first one was held in Goa in 2006. This was however for the first time that the leading space agencies came together.
The most significant development however was the announcement of ISRO and NASA jointly collaborating for the first time to create NISAR (NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture RADAR). According to Dr. Kiran Kumar, ISRO Chairman, the satellite that will be launched by ISRO will also get assistance in technology from NASA. The satellite is expected to be launched in 2021, however according to Kumar, the effort will be to launch it in 2020.
The satellite, according to Kumar, will aid in surface deformation of the earth surface, which can be useful in determination of earthquake phenomena. There are also plans of sharing vital data related to climate change patterns among the three space agencies of NASA, CNES and ISRO. Calling the PM Narendra Modi a space buff, Charles F Bolden, Administrator, NASA said that his discussion with MOS, Jitendra Singh was on this area.
In the exhibition stalls, space technologies like launching of new satellites, hyspex electro system (that provides 3 D images and was used by US marines in the operations against Osama Bin Laden) were displayed. Even ISRO, IMD have displayed a stall to create awareness of their new applications. Dr. Jagvir Singh, Scientist MoES said, “Such events only highlight India’s leadership role in the space of remote sensing technology.”
The event will carry on for two more days and culminate on April 7.