Indo-US NISAR Satellite Set for Historic July 30 Launch

NEW DELHI: The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), a groundbreaking Earth observation satellite developed collaboratively by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is scheduled for launch on July 30 at 5:40 PM IST from Sriharikota. Valued at over $1.5 billion, this mission, more than a decade in the making, marks a significant milestone in Indo-US space cooperation, according to ISRO.

The GSLV-F16 rocket will deploy the 2,392 kg satellite into a 743-km sun-synchronous orbit with a 98.4-degree inclination. Equipped with dual-frequency radar NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band NISAR will utilize SweepSAR technology to deliver high-resolution, all-weather, day-and-night imagery across a 242km swath. ISRO highlights that the satellite will scan the entire globe every 12 days, capturing subtle changes in Earth’s surface, such as ground deformation, ice sheet movements, and vegetation dynamics.

ALSO READ : Shubhanshu Shukla undergoing post-mission medical evaluation, says ISRO

Union Space Minister Jitendra Singh told that NISAR will usher in a new era of Indo-US collaboration, providing comprehensive Earth imagery with significant scientific and practical applications. The satellite’s advanced radar system is designed to monitor complex natural processes, including ecosystem disturbances and natural hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides, enhancing global disaster response and resource management capabilities.