Bonnie Johnson
April 04, 2025
Media ArticleDr. Narendra N. Das, an accomplished Associate Professor at Michigan State University (MSU), has been selected as a member of the NASA Science Team for two significant satellite missions.
His expertise in hydrology and microwave remote sensing is set to enhance both the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission and the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission.
Dr. Das's involvement in the NISAR mission is particularly crucial as it prepares for an upcoming launch.
His responsibilities include developing algorithms for high-resolution global soil moisture data products, a vital component for understanding and monitoring Earth's hydrological processes.
His work is conducted within MSU's Remote Sensing in Hydrology and Agriculture Lab, located at Farrall Hall, where he also leads efforts in software creation and data management.
NASA supports Dr. Das’s initiatives at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station to calibrate and validate the high-resolution soil moisture products derived from NISAR, ensuring their accuracy and reliability.
Dr. Das has also been a key figure in the SMAP mission for over 15 years, contributing significantly to the development and enhancement of soil moisture measurement technologies.
His recent reappointment to the SMAP Science Team for another three-year term underscores his pivotal role in advancing our understanding of soil moisture dynamics through satellite technology.
His dual roles in these projects not only emphasize the importance of satellite remote sensing in agricultural and environmental engineering but highlight MSU's leading role in this advanced field.
Photo by: canr.msu.edu
