Indo-French satellite 'TRISHNA' to study climate change. Here are details

Asintense heatwave sweeps across parts of the world, the Indian and French space agencies are working on a unique satellite to study the effects of human-induced climate change, water use, snow melting etc. Abbreviated as 'TRISHNA' (Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment), the satellitewould enable high-resolution monitoring of earth's surface and various environmental parameters andanomalies.

On the occasion of Environment Day on June 5th, the Indian Space agency shared insights on TRISHNA. It stated that the craft that is expected to operate for five years, would be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit that's 761kmsabove the earth. ISRO did not mention any specific status of the mission of its expected launch. In August 2023, based on conversations with French Space agency CNES, WION had reported that TRISHNA could be launched in 2026.

On the objectives of TRISHNA, ISRO said "detailed monitoring of the energy and water budgets of the continental biosphere for quantifying terrestrial water stress and water use and high-resolution observation of water quality and dynamics in coastal and inland waters. In addition, as secondary objectives, the TRISHNA mission will also help in a comprehensive assessment of urban heat islands, detection of thermal anomalies linked to volcanic activity and geothermal resources, and precise monitoring of snow-melt runoff and glacier dynamics. The mission will also provide valuable data on aerosol optical depth, atmospheric water vapor, and cloud cover".

Add WION as a Preferred Source

By collecting such extensive amounts of data, TRISHNA would be able to help in agricultural water management- assess irrigation water use, issue advisories for water savings and enhance crop water productivity through efficient and sustainable water management practices, and better micro-watershed management.

In terms of climate monitoring, the mission will track key indicators such as droughts, permafrost changes, and evapotranspiration rates. Urban planners will benefit from detailed urban heat island maps and heat alerts; while water quality monitoring will aid in detecting pollution in coastal and inland water bodies. It will also help in identifying sub-marine groundwater discharge at the coastal fringes.

"TRISHNA satellite is equipped with two primary payloads. The Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) payload, provided by CNES, features a four-channel long-wave infrared imaging sensor capable of high-resolution surface temperature and emissivity mapping. The Visible - Near Infra-Red - Short Wave Infra-Red (VNIR-SWIR) payload, developed by ISRO, includes seven spectral bands designed for detailed mapping of surface reflectance of VSWIR bands for generating important biophysical and radiation budget variables," ISRO said.

The data generated from TRISHNA would contribute to several global initiatives, such as Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring (GEOGLAM) for agricultural monitoring, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and targets, and the Global Water Watch. Some of the mission’s outputs will serve as Essential Agricultural Variables (EAVs), and Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) for the global community.