Nasa to preview US-India NISAR radar sat: What is it, why does it matter?

Set for liftoff from Sriharikota this July, the Nasa-Isro NISAR mission will deliver the most detailed radar-based view of Earth yet, redefining disaster response, climate science, and more

In a major step for global Earth observation, NASA is set to preview the highly anticipated NISAR mission—a landmark joint venture with ISRO—before its launch from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre later this July. The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite will deliver the most detailed, 3D view of our planet ever captured from space.

 

The US space agency released a statement saying it will host a news conference at 9.30 pm IST, July 21, to discuss the upcoming NISAR mission. The event will be streamed live via NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s official social media pages like Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and YouTube.

 

NASA-ISRO NISAR radar satellite: What will it do?

 

Equipped with cutting-edge dual-frequency radar systems—S-band from ISRO and L-band from NASA—NISAR will scan nearly every inch of Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, tracking movements as small as a few centimetres. The mission is expected to significantly change the way scientists monitor natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity.

 

“Additionally, NISAR’s cloud penetrating ability will aid urgent responses to communities during weather disasters such as hurricanes, storm surge, and flooding. The detailed maps the mission creates also will provide information on both gradual and sudden changes occurring on Earth’s land and ice surfaces,” NASA said in a statement.

 

India’s space prowess is on full display with its deep involvement in the NISAR mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has played a pivotal role, contributing not just the S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)—developed by the Space Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad—but also the spacecraft bus, built at U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.

 

The mission is a coordinated effort across ISRO’s key facilities:

 

The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) provided the GSLV rocket that will carry NISAR to orbit.

Launch operations will take place at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota.

Mission control and satellite tracking are managed by the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).

And finally, the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) will handle S-band data reception, processing, and public dissemination.

 

This comprehensive involvement cements India’s role as a major force in next-generation space science and international collaboration.