“GALAXEYE SPACE TESTS SAR ON NAL’S HIGH-ALTITUDE PLATFORM SUCCESSFULLY”

Why in the news?

  • Bengaluru-based Galaxeye Space successfully tested its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) on a High-Altitude Platform (HAP) developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) at an altitude of 8 km on May 7 and 8.
  • The SAR can penetrate cloud and vegetation cover, offering significant applications in defense, disaster management, and surveillance, highlighting the innovative capabilities of Indian space tech start-ups.

About Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR):

  • An imaging radar system that uses the motion of a platform (aircraft, spacecraft) to create high-resolution images.
  • Differs from traditional radars by achieving finer detail than its physical antenna size would allow.
  • SAR transmits microwave signals and records the reflected echoes from the ground.
  • All-weather imaging: Operates day or night and can penetrate clouds, fog, and smoke.
Source: researchgate:
National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL):

  • Formation: Established in Bangalore in 1959
  • Affiliation: Constituent of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
  • Collaboration: Works closely with HAL, DRDO, and ISRO
  • Specialization: Focuses on aerospace research

About Galaxeye:

  • Galaxeye is an innovative space technology startup headquartered in Bangalore, India.
  • It is renowned for being the first Indian startup to launch an indigenously developed satellite, marking a significant milestone in India’s space tech industry.