Isro orbiter to scan India’s air for pollutants

AHMEDABAD: The Space Applications Centre (SAC) of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and space flight laboratory (SFL) of University of Toronto’s Institute for Aerospace Studies are collaborating on developing the Next Generation Earth Monitoring and Observation and Aerosol Monitoring (NEMO-AM) satellite. This is among Isro’s most important high-performance nano-satellite missions for the country.

The nano-satellite will monitor suspended particles and aerosols that have made the air of major Indian cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Amritsar and Allahabad among the most polluted in the world.

The tiny particles and aerosols in the exhaust of vehicles, emissions from industrial chimneys and even dust particles from construction work fill the air we breathe. These aerosols and particulate matter of size 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) enter our lungs and restrict the free flow of air. SAC is providing the necessary software for instruments that are to be made in Canada. The nano-satellite, which will be of 2x2x1 feet dimension and weigh 15kg, will be placed 500 km above the earth.

SAC director Tapan Misra said the NEMO mission is designed to cover, each day, up to 50,000 sq km area of the country's 32.87 lakh sq km.

“The NEMO-AM will be integrated in July-August next year at SAC in the presence of a team from Canada SFL. The satellite will be tested and launched in the subsequent month,“ said Misra.

The NEMO-AM satellite with its powerful imaging sensor analyses the sunlight reflected from the earth's surface. The NEMO-AM satellite with its powerful imaging sensor analyses the sunlight reflected from the earth’s surface This light, which passes through the earth’s atmosphere before reaching NEMO will be analysed by the satellite from different angles to deter mine the nature of suspended particles and aerosol concentration in the ambient air of India cities.