July 30, 2025 marks a milestone in India’s space journey. On this day, ISRO and NASA will jointly launch NISAR (NASA‑ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), a $1.5 billion Earth‑observation satellite, from Sriharikota aboard the GSLV‑F16 rocket. This is the first bilateral mission jointly built by both countries.
Why NISAR Matters
- Dual‑Frequency Breakthrough
NISAR combines NASA’s L‑band radar (24 cm) and ISRO’s S‑band radar (9 cm) the world’s first such pairing in orbit enabling centimeter‑level precision imaging. It captures three‑dimensional maps of land, ice, water, and vegetation every 12 days. - Global Scale, Local Impact
Orbiting at ~747 km with a 12‑day cycle, and effectively scanning every 6 days, NISAR will track glacier retreat, deforestation, groundwater levels, and ground movement due to quakes, volcanoes, and landslides. - Weather-Resistant Imaging
Thanks to radar technology that penetrates clouds and foliage and operates day and night, the satellite guarantees uninterrupted data vital during floods, storms, and emergency response.
Engineered in India, Powered by a Partnership
- Launch Vehicle: ISRO’s GSLV‑F16, featuring a cryogenic upper stage, which will fly NISAR into a polar sun‑synchronous orbit.
- Satellite Assembly: ISRO delivered the bus, S‑band SAR, launch logistics; NASA contributed L‑band SAR, high‑rate comms, GPS, and a deployable 12‑m mesh antenna.
- Mission Duration: Three years (planned), with consumables for up to five. Data will be freely available to researchers and disaster response teams, often within hours during crises.
What to Watch Next
With final integration checks underway at Sriharikota, the launch window opens in late July. Once in orbit, NISAR will herald a new chapter in Earth monitoring—providing actionable insights on climate change, resource management, and infrastructure resilience.
This isn’t just a satellite. It’s proof what happens when ambition meets engineering and nations work together to map our shared future.
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