In News:

During a recent event, the President of the French Space Agency, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), addressed various topics, celebrating 60 years of collaboration between France and India in space exploration, alongside discussions on the Gaganyaan and TRISHNA missions.

Overview of the TRISHNA Mission

The Thermal Infrared Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment (TRISHNA) is a joint initiative by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and CNES.

Mission Objectives

TRISHNA aims to provide high-resolution, timely observations of Earth's surface temperature, monitor vegetation health, and analyze water cycle dynamics. It will facilitate:

• Assessment of urban heat islands
• Detection of thermal anomalies related to volcanic activity and geothermal resources
• Monitoring of snowmelt runoff and glacier behavior
• Collection of data on aerosol optical depth, atmospheric water vapor, and cloud cover

Satellite Payloads

TRISHNA is equipped with two main payloads:

1. Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) Payload: Supplied by CNES, this payload includes a four-channel long-wave infrared imaging sensor that enables high-resolution mapping of surface temperature and emissivity.
2. Visible-Near Infra-Red-ShortWave Infra-Red (VNIR-SWIR) Payload: Developed by ISRO, this payload consists of seven spectral bands aimed at detailed mapping of surface reflectance, which is crucial for calculating biophysical and radiation budget variables.

The data retrieved from both payloads will aid in solving surface energy balance equations to estimate heat fluxes.

Operational Details

• TRISHNA will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 761 km, with a scheduled overpass time of 12:30 PM at the equator.
• This orbit will achieve a spatial resolution of 57 meters for land and coastal regions, and 1 km for oceanic and polar areas.
• The mission is expected to have an operational lifespan of five years.