World's most advanced and expensive; Indo-US NISAR satellite to launch soon

India and the US jointly designed the NISAR satellite which is set to be launched next year. It can gather images with dual frequency radar, effectively functioning in darkness and adverse weather

The world's most advanced and expensive earth observation satellite NISAR, jointly developed by India and the US, may finally take off. 

 

The satellite will likely be launched by March 2025 after multiple delays, according to a new announcement by Nasa. The launch was earlier scheduled in 2024.

 

“Nasa and Isro are looking at a likely launch date in March 2025. Short for Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar, NISAR will scan nearly all of Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days to measure changes in the planet’s ecosystems, its land and sea ice, and its solid Earth. The NISAR satellite will launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast,” the US-based space agency said.

 

Isro and Nasa have been working since 2014 on the NISAR satellite that aims to monitor planetary changes with unmatched precision. 

 

The 2.8-tonne NISAR, developed with a joint funding of Rs 5,800 crore, is a first of the kind imaging satellite in the world. It features dual-frequency radar - Nasa’s L-band (1.25 GHz) and Isro’s S-band (3.20 GHz) delivering unprecedented data accuracy.

 

The critical components of the satellites were transported from the United States to India in October 2024, which is a significant logistical feat. The manufacturing of the satellite experienced many delays due to technical issues with its 12-metre radar antenna reflector.

Why was the NISAR satellite developed?

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) helps in the production of fine-resolution images from a resolution-limited radar system, requiring the radar to move in a straight line. The satellite was developed to share information with scientists to better understand the effects and pace of climate change. NISAR will also help scientists to better understand the hard outer layer of Earth, its crust. 

 

NISAR's comprehensive global coverage will provide opportunities in disaster management and response, providing data to assist in assessing damage with observation before and after disasters in short time frames. 

 

The observation by the NISAR will help researchers to deeply understand the surface of Earth including ice sheets, glaciers and sea ice. The satellite will also share information about the latest changes in its forest and wetland ecosystems as well as the movement and deformation of the Earth's crust like earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity.

What is the satellite capable of?

The satellite is capable of generating high-resolution images using radio signals, effectively functioning in darkness and adverse weather. It even helps in detecting smallest surface changes and penetrating dense vegetation for comprehensive mapping.