From polar ice shifts to disaster alerts, NISAR’s dual‑radar eye marks a $1.5‑billion Indo‑US leap in tracking Earth’s changing surface and climate risks.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA have launched their most advanced Earth-observing radar satellite from Sriharikota.
As a significant part of Indo-US space cooperation, this marks the first joint hardware mission between NASA and ISRO for Earth observation. With a cost of $1.5 billion, it is also the most expensive such mission to date.
The mission, known as NISAR (NASA‑ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), is designed to track even minute changes in the planet’s land and ice surfaces. It carries a dual-frequency radar payload, an L-band system from NASA and an S-band system from ISRO, enabling it to detect surface features across a wide range of sizes.
The satellite will monitor earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, and extreme weather events, while also tracking infrastructure stability, ice sheet changes, deforestation, and other climate-related phenomena. Its cloud-penetrating radar ensures continuous data collection, even during adverse weather.
Measuring about the length of a pickup truck and weighing over 5,000 pounds, NISAR features two 18-foot solar arrays and a 39-foot gold‑mesh antenna reflector. Once deployed, the satellite will orbit close to the poles at around 464 miles altitude, synchronising radar measurements from both systems to produce detailed 3D views of Earth’s surface.
The primary mission is expected to last three years, with fuel reserves to extend operations by up to two additional years. Data from NISAR is expected to help scientists enhance disaster preparedness, inform climate policy, and support emergency response efforts worldwide.
In a report by The Economic Times, Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.), The Director General of the Indian Space Association hailed the mission as a model of global cooperation. He said it reaffirmed India’s role as a trusted space partner and would contribute to the nation’s growing $44 billion‑by‑2033 space economy ambitions.
