Why in News?
The Prime Minister announced that India and France will jointly launch the TRISHNA satellite mission. Developed jointly by ISRO and France’s national space agency CNES, this Earth-observation satellite is designed to address global challenges in water resource management, climate monitoring, and food security.
Key Facts for Prelims: TRISHNA Mission
- Full Form: Thermal infraRed Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment
- Developed by: ISRO (India) and CNES (France)
- Launch Timeline: Planned for 2027
- Primary Target: High-resolution tracking of Earth’s surface temperature, vegetation health, and water cycle dynamics
- Operational Lifespan: Minimum baseline mission of 5 years
- Orbit Type: Sun-synchronous orbit
- ISRO’s Role: Provides the satellite platform and the Visible-Near Infrared-Short Wave Infrared (VNIR-SWIR) payload; acts as prime contractor
- CNES’s Role: Co-responsible for the mission; provides the Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) payload
Static Exam Link: India-France Space Cooperation
CNES (Centre National d’รtudes Spatiales) is France’s national space agency, functioning as a counterpart to ISRO. TRISHNA is a flagship example of bilateral Earth-observation cooperation, distinct from India’s joint missions with other partners such as NISAR (India-USA, with NASA), which is a synthetic aperture radar mission rather than a thermal-infrared mission.
- TRISHNA payload combines thermal infrared (TIR) and VNIR-SWIR imaging, unlike radar-based missions
- Focus areas: evapotranspiration monitoring, surface energy budgeting, and climate change impact assessment
Quick Revision Table: TRISHNA at a Glance
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Thermal infraRed Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment |
| Partner Agencies | ISRO (India) & CNES (France) |
| Planned Launch | 2027 |
| Mission Life | Minimum 5 years |
| Orbit | Sun-synchronous |
| Key Focus | Water resource management, climate monitoring, food security |
Trap / Confusing Points
| Confusion | Correct Fact |
|---|---|
| TRISHNA vs NISAR | TRISHNA is an ISRO-CNES (France) thermal imaging mission; NISAR is an ISRO-NASA (USA) radar mission |
| CNES is a company | CNES is France’s national space agency, not a private company |
| TRISHNA studies only temperature | It also monitors vegetation health and water cycle dynamics, not temperature alone |
| ISRO provides thermal payload | CNES provides the Thermal Infra-Red payload; ISRO provides the VNIR-SWIR payload |
Practice MCQs
1. TRISHNA is a joint satellite mission between ISRO and which agency?
a. NASA
b. CNES
c. ESA
d. JAXA
Ans: B
TRISHNA is jointly developed by ISRO and CNES, France’s national space agency.
2. What does the “T” in TRISHNA stand for?
a. Temperature
b. Thermal
c. Tropical
d. Terrestrial
Ans: B
TRISHNA stands for Thermal infraRed Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment.
3. Which of the following is a primary focus area of the TRISHNA mission?
a. Deep space exploration
b. Water resource management and food security
c. Lunar mineral mapping
d. Communication relay
Ans: B
TRISHNA addresses water resource management, climate monitoring, and food security challenges.
4. What is the minimum planned operational lifespan of the TRISHNA satellite?
a. 2 years
b. 5 years
c. 8 years
d. 10 years
Ans: B
TRISHNA is designed for a minimum baseline mission life of 5 years.
5. In the TRISHNA mission, ISRO is primarily responsible for which payload?
a. Thermal Infra-Red (TIR) payload
b. VNIR-SWIR payload
c. Synthetic Aperture Radar
d. Laser altimeter
Ans: B
ISRO provides the platform and the Visible-Near Infrared-Short Wave Infrared (VNIR-SWIR) payload; CNES provides the Thermal Infra-Red payload.
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