NISAR-the most awaited project launched soon

NISAR-the most awaited project launched in june 2025

NISAR-satellite 

What is NISAR 

Introduction:

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is a joint project between NASA and ISRO to co-develop and launch a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar on an Earth observation satellite in june 2025. The satellite will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies. It will be used for remote sensing, to observe and understand natural processes on Earth. For example, its left-facing instruments will study the Antarctic cryosphere. With a total cost estimated at US$1.5 billion, NISAR is likely to be the world's most expensive Earth-imaging satellite.

Objectives of NISAR: 

1. Monitoring Earth's Surface: NISAR satellite, will use advanced radar imaging to map the elevation of Earth's land and ice masses four to six times a month at resolutions of 5 to 10 meters. It is designed to observe and measure some of the planet's most complex natural processes, including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet collapse, and natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.

2. Climate Change Research: The mission will help scientists study climate change by observing changes in Earth's surface, including glacier movements, sea level rise, and deforestation.

Advanced Features of NISAR 

1. Dual-Frequency Radar: NISAR will use a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, The satellite will be three-axis stabilized. It will use a 12 m (39 ft) deployable mesh antenna and will operate on both the L- and S- microwave bands. The aperture mesh reflector (antenna) will be supplied by Astro A1erospace.

2. Quick data supply: All data from NISAR will be freely available one to two days after observation and within hours in case of emergencies like natural disasters.

Benefits

1. Disaster Management: NISAR's data will help emergency responders and disaster managers by providing critical information on natural hazards like earthquakes, landslides, and floods.

2. Environmental Monitoring: The mission will contribute to a better understanding of environmental changes, supporting sustainable development and conservation efforts.

Launch and Collaboration

1. Joint Mission: The mission is a partnership between NASA and ISRO. Under the terms of the agreement, NASA will provide the mission's L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), a high-rate telecommunication subsystem for scientific data GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder, and a payload data subsystem. ISRO will provide the satellite bus, an S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the launch vehicle, and associated launch services. ISRO's share of the project cost is about ₹788 crore (US$92 million), and NASA's share is about US$1,118 million.

2. Launch Schedule delay : The satellite was originally scheduled to be launched from India aboard a GSLV Mark II on 30 March 2024, but it was postponed until further notice due to a needed hardware update. The mission further postponed in October 2024 and March 2025 due to some other issue.

3. Final launch date: as per latest update from ISRO and NASA's office sources the NISAR launch soon as 20th June 2025 from Satish Dhawan Space Center.

By providing unprecedented insights into Earth's dynamics, NISAR will play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of the planet and supporting decision-making for sustainable development and environmental conservation.