Countdown to Discovery: ISRO and NASA’s NISAR Mission Set for March 2025 Launch!

The American space agency NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are poised to launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite in March 2025.

This mission, with a budget of ₹5,000 crore, intends to revolutionize global Earth observation and signifies a key achievement in international space collaboration.

Initiated in 2009, the NISAR satellite, weighing 2.8 tons, is structured to observe planetary transformations with unparalleled accuracy. It will scan nearly all terrestrial and glacial surfaces twice every 12 days, capturing detailed information about ecosystems, land changes, and ice formations.

NISAR utilizes state-of-the-art Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, distinguishing it from conventional imaging satellites.

Among its primary features is the ability to produce high-resolution imagery using radio waves, perform effectively in low-light and challenging weather conditions, identify surface changes as minute as one inch, and penetrate thick vegetation for extensive mapping.

The satellite is equipped with dual-frequency radar—NASA’s L-band (1.25 GHz) and ISRO’s S-band (3.20 GHz)—ensuring exceptional data precision.

NISAR will be launched on ISRO’s GSLV Mk-II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. It is set to operate at an altitude of 747 km in a sun-synchronous orbit, with an anticipated mission lifespan of three years.

The observations from NISAR will have diverse applications, ranging from monitoring ecosystem changes and ice dynamics to tracking geological phenomena such as earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. This data will also aid researchers in comprehending solid Earth movements and their consequences.

Delays in the mission were caused by technical challenges involving its 12-meter radar antenna reflector. NASA addressed these concerns by applying reflective tape to alleviate heat-related issues. Key components were shipped from the US to India in October 2024, representing a substantial logistical achievement.