Isro set for major milestone in earth observation with NISAR, an India-Nasa joint mission
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The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) is preparing to launch the NISAR satellite, a joint mission with NASA, marking a major milestone in Earth observation and international collaboration. The launch is scheduled for July 30 at 5:40 pm IST from Sriharikota's second launch pad.NISAR, short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, will be placed into a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit aboard India's GSLV-Mk II rocket, designated GSLV-F16. This marks the 18th flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle and its 9th operational flight using an indigenous cryogenic stage.The launch countdown is expected to begin later on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported citing ISRO officials.In a significant first, this will be the GSLV's debut mission to a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit. The 51.7-metre rocket will lift off from the coastal launch site, around 135 km east of Chennai. Within approximately 19 minutes, the satellite is expected to reach its designated orbit.As the world watches closely, NISAR is set to not only mark a technological achievement for India, but also shape how we understand and manage our planet in the years ahead.Former NISAR Project Manager and Ground Segment Engineer, Radha Krishna Kavuluru, highlighted the mission's global relevance. Unlike ISRO's earlier observation satellites -- such as the Resourcesat and RISAT series, which primarily served India and nearby regions -- NISAR is designed for worldwide operational use.The satellite will carry dual-frequency radar systems, with NASA contributing the L-Band and ISRO the S-Band. Together, they form a high-resolution radar capable of scanning and collecting data from nearly every corner of the Earth, including remote and challenging environments such as Antarctica, the North Pole and deep oceanic regions.Kavuluru emphasised that NISAR data will be freely accessible worldwide. Governments, researchers, and commercial users from all countries are expected to benefit from its findings. The satellite will revisit every location on Earth every 12 days, providing about 2.5 observations per month and 10 in a span of 120 days.This global coverage will enable critical tracking of changes in forests, glaciers, and mountain ranges -- especially in vulnerable regions like the Himalayas and Antarctica. The mission is designed to monitor seasonal changes and long-term environmental shifts with unmatched precision."NISAR is one of the key missions that will receive large-scale operational feedback from across the globe," Kavuluru said, pointing to its expected impact on sectors such as agriculture, disaster response, and environmental management.He also underlined the strategic importance of the collaboration, noting that this is ISRO's first major Earth observation partnership with NASA. 'It's not just about the satellite. It's about technical exchange, joint planning, and building capabilities on both sides,' he said.Most of the data processed by ISRO will be made open-source, reinforcing India's role as a contributor to global science and space technology. The mission is slated to last five years.'This is a highly significant, high-value, and ambitious mission for ISRO,' the news agency quoted Kavuluru as saying.
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