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United News of India
30-07-2025
- Science
- United News of India
India successfully puts into orbit Indo-US joint earth observation satellite NISAR
South Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), July 30 (UNI) Marking a new milestone in Indo-US space diplomacy, India on Wednesday evening successfully put into orbit the first ISRO-NASA jointly developed Earth Observation satellite NISAR in a copy book style from the spaceport here. The 2,392 kg NISAR satellite was carried by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket codenamed as GSLV-F16. MORE UNI VJ GV 1800/1831
Time of India
26-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NISAR mission to benefit global community in earth observation: ISRO chief
ISRO chairman V Narayanan announced the GSLV-F16/NISAR mission, a collaborative effort between ISRO and NASA, set to launch on July 30th. This mission, carrying a dual-band radar satellite, marks several firsts, including being the first ISRO-NASA Earth Observation Mission. NISAR will monitor Earth's land and ice surfaces, aiding in understanding natural calamities and providing crucial data for various applications. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The NISAR mission , jointly developed by ISRO and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ), would significantly benefit the global community in earth observation , ISRO chairman V Narayanan said on GSLV-F16/NISAR Mission is the result of over a decade of robust technical cooperation between the two teams of ISRO and NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to ISRO, the mission in itself has got a lot of firsts -- it is the first mission to carry dual-band radar satellite, a GSLV rocket will carry a satellite to be placed in Sunsynchronous Orbit (unlike PSLV rockets) and it is the first ISRO-NASA Earth Observation which is short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), would help scientists comprehensively monitor Earth's land and ice surfaces, building a detailed record of large and small changes over mission would also be crucial in helping the scientific community to gain a better understanding of the processes involved during natural calamities like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and per the collaboration between ISRO and NASA, the rocket would carry a unique earth observation satellite with a dual-frequency radar provided by NASA's L-Band and ISRO's S-Band. The Radar would use NASA's 12 metre mesh reflector antenna that has been integrated into ISRO's I3K satellite to reporters here, Narayanan said, "NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite launch will be done using our GSLV-MkII vehicle ( GSLV-F16 ). The payloads are jointly realised by ISRO and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), USA. This satellite is going to be useful for the global community in earth observation and disaster mitigation areas.""The Mission is also a very, very important as ISRO would be making the 102nd launch from Indian soil that is targeted on July 30, 5.40 pm (from Sriharikota)", Narayanan also the Secretary, Department of Space, 2,392 kg, the satellite would observe the earth with a swath of 242 km and high spatial resolution, using SweepSAR technology for the first time, ISRO satellite would scan the entire globe and provide all weather, day and night data at 12-day interval and enable a wide range of applications. The radar can detect even small changes in the Earth's surface such as ground deformation, ice-sheet movement and vegetation of the other applications are ship detection, shoreline monitoring, storm characterisation, changes in soil moisture, mapping and monitoring of surface water resources and disaster response, the space agency would provide scientific information about the Earth's processes and it would study key changes in Earth's land and ice. The mission would also be more powerful than previous Synthetic Aperture Radar missions as it will monitor parts of Earth which are not previously covered.
The Print
26-07-2025
- Science
- The Print
ISRO and NASA's billion-dollar baby is ready to launch. NISAR will watch every inch of Earth
The project is significant not only because it marks the first collaboration between ISRO and NASA on this scale, but also because of the satellite's ability to scan all of Earth's land and ice-covered surfaces twice every 12 days. This will help record both large and small climatic and geographical changes over time. After a delay of over a year, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar ( NISAR ) mission is now scheduled to launch on 30 July from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, aboard India's heavy-lift rocket, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F16 (GSLV-F16). New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation and the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration are set to launch a first-of-its-kind Earth observation satellite, designed to survey the planet like never before. As an equal partner in NISAR's development, ISRO is consolidating India's position in the global space sector as a trusted and dependable business associate. It is for this reason that the ISRO-NASA partnered NISAR satellite is ThePrint's Newsmaker of the Week. Also read: Lift the veil, abandon Soviet-era approach. Indian science community wants ISRO to up its PR game What does NISAR promise? NISAR promises to usher in a new era of global Earth observation capabilities. The high-resolution images it provides will enable scientists to better understand the processes behind natural hazards and catastrophic events such as earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Its ability to penetrate cloud cover will be key in improving emergency responses during weather-related disasters like floods, storms, and hurricanes. According to NASA, the NISAR satellite will also provide crucial data on changes in ice sheets, glaciers, and sea ice, and enhance scientific understanding of how deforestation, permafrost loss, and fires affect the carbon cycle. 'The data will be accessible to all users across a range of disciplines, with potential applicability in disaster response, infrastructure monitoring and agricultural decision support,' NASA said in a mission document. Data from NISAR could change our approach to disaster preparedness and management. All data from the satellite will be available within one to two days of observation. In emergencies such as natural disasters, the turnaround time will shrink to just a few hours. NASA's Sanghamitra Dutta, the programme executive for NISAR, highlighted the massive scale of data generation. 'NISAR will capture over 4,300 GB of Earth imagery each day. You will need nearly eight 512 GB laptops to hold such a volume of data,' she said. Over its expected lifespan of more than three years, NISAR satellite will accumulate over 5,00,000 GB of data—enough to fill approximately 3,000 laptops. At a recent press conference, NASA announced that 80 organisations, both public and private, have already signed up to use NISAR data. 'Remote-sensing missions like NISAR are storytellers about how the Earth and humans interact, and how we connect with the planet,' said Paul Rosen, project scientist for NISAR. 'NISAR is a truly unique storyteller,' he added. The partnership—first conceptualised in 2007 and finally inked in 2014—is the most expensive Earth observation satellite mission ever, with a price tag of $1.5 billion. Of the total project cost, ISRO has contributed Rs 469.4 crore and will also cover the launch costs. Also read: Rakesh Sharma to Shubhanshu Shukla—India's space programme is entering a bold new era NISAR satellite—the technology NISAR is being touted as the most powerful Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite ever developed. At the press conference, NASA revealed that the satellite will be roughly the size of a pickup truck. Its main body houses engineering systems and a first-of-its-kind dual radar payload—an L-band radar with a 10-inch wavelength, and an S-band radar, also with a 10-inch wavelength. India's contribution is significant: the S-band radar was built by the ISRO Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad. It was shipped to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 2021, where the L-band radar was being developed. NASA and ISRO scientists integrated the two systems between 2021 and 2022. The satellite was then sent to India in March 2023 for final preparations and launch. NISAR launch delay This 9,000-mile-long partnership between India and the US faced its share of hurdles. NISAR satellite, which took over a decade to come together, was first scheduled for launch in 2024. But technical faults led to a delay. Just weeks before the initial launch window in March-April 2024, engineers discovered a problem with the large deployable antenna. The component had to be returned to the US to protect the spacecraft's reflector—a 12-metre-wide antenna—while in its stowed configuration. 'Testing and analysis identified a potential for the reflector to experience higher-than-previously-anticipated temperatures in its stowed configuration in flight,' NASA said in a statement. To mitigate this, engineers applied a special coating to increase the antenna's reflectivity and reduce heat absorption. Although NASA resolved the issue within a few months, the wait for NISAR's launch did not end. Between October 2024 and February 2025, the launch was deemed unfeasible. During this period, the Sun's position would expose the satellite to alternating cycles of heat and shadow, potentially causing temperature fluctuations that could jeopardise the satellite's boom and radar antenna. But now, NISAR's time has finally come. The world is about to receive a treasure trove of Earth data like never before. And along with ISRO and NASA, the entire scientific community is watching with excitement. (Edited by Prashant)
Deccan Herald
26-07-2025
- Science
- Deccan Herald
NISAR: Eyes wide open on Earth
The story of the world's most advanced and expensive earth observation satellite began nearly 15 years ago when the Indian Space Research Organisation turned down an offer from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to launch a radar satellite using an Indian rocket from Sriharikota spaceport. The US satellite was to use sweepSAR (sweep synthetic aperture radar) technology to provide wide area coverage and fine spatial resolution at the same time. New Delhi proposed an alternative: housing two radars in a single satellite. Both parties agreed, and an agreement was inked. The L-band radar, associated systems, and the antenna were made at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California, while the S-band radar was built at the Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad. From next week, the two synthetic aperture radars aboard NISAR will detect changes in the planet's surface down to fractions of an inch. The spacecraft will bounce microwave signals off Earth's surface and receive the return signals on a radar antenna reflector measuring 12 meters across. The satellite's ability to see through clouds and rain, day and night, will enable users to continuously monitor earthquake and landslide-prone areas and determine how quickly glaciers and ice sheets are Exploring new frontiers in space cooperation.'NISAR can detect even small changes in the Earth's surface such as ground deformation, ice sheet movement and vegetation dynamics,' ISRO says. Other applications include sea ice classification, ship detection, shoreline monitoring, storm characterisation, changes in soil moisture, mapping and monitoring of surface water resources and disaster response. 'It's a highly advanced satellite,' notes K Sivan, former ISRO chairman. Earthquakes, volcanoes, and ageing infrastructure can pose risks to lives and property. Able to see subtle changes in Earth's surface, NISAR can help with hazard-monitoring efforts and potentially give decision-makers more time to prepare for a disaster. For earthquakes, it will provide insights into which parts of a fault slowly move without producing quakes and which are locked together and could potentially slip. For the farm sector, it will help monitor the growth of crops from planting to harvest, generating crucial insights on how to time plantings and adjust irrigation schedules. The mission will have the resolution to see even small plots of farmland. The satellite's development path was a challenging one. The ISRO-NASA pact was signed in October 2014 with a target to launch the satellite by 2020. But developing the radar and antenna took more time, and the US could transfer the payload to India only in 2023-24. Unfortunately, within months, it was sent to the USA for repair. In March 2024, the radar antenna reflector of the satellite was transported back to a facility in California, where reflective tape was applied and other precautionary measures were taken to mitigate temperature increases that could have potentially affected the deployment of the reflector from its stowed configuration before beginning the science operations in space. The component returned to ISRO's clean room by October 2024, when the Indian space agency began preparation for a February launch, which didn't materialise. Ironically, a GSLV with a cryogenic engine will be used to launch the India-US satellite on July 30, even though the USA left no stone unturned for India to acquire the cryogenic technology. The mission's extraordinary capabilities come from the synthetic aperture radar. As the radar travels, its antenna continuously transmits microwave pulses and receives echoes from the surface. When the pulses hit something — a volcanic cone, for example — they scatter. The antenna receives those signals that echo back to the instrument, which measures their strength, change in frequency, how long they took to return, and if they bounced off of multiple surfaces, such as buildings. 'This mission packs in a wide range of science toward a common goal of studying our changing planet and the impacts of natural hazards,' says Deepak Putrevu, co-lead of the ISRO science team at the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad.
News18
23-07-2025
- Science
- News18
NISAR: Rs 13,000-Crore ISRO-NASA Satellite To Scan Entire Earth In 12 Days, Launch On July 30
Last Updated: NISAR, the $1.5-billion ISRO-NASA satellite launching July 30, will track Earth's changes in real time, revolutionising disaster response, climate research, and food security On July 30, 2025, a landmark satellite mission is set to take off from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, marking a historic moment in space cooperation between India and the United States. The mission, titled NISAR, short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is an ambitious Earth observation initiative jointly developed by ISRO and NASA. With a cost of Rs 13,000 crore ($1.5 billion), it will provide the most precise, detailed imaging of Earth ever attempted. This project not only strengthens bilateral space ties but is expected to revolutionise environmental monitoring, disaster prediction, and climate data analysis across the globe. NISAR will be the first satellite in the world to operate simultaneously on two radar frequencies: NASA's L-band and ISRO's S-band. The satellite, weighing 2,392 kg, will be launched aboard ISRO's GSLV-F16 rocket into a 743 km sun-synchronous orbit. This orbit allows the satellite to collect consistent data regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. NISAR will capture high-resolution images of Earth's surface every 12 days, providing an unprecedented frequency of observations. A Record-Breaking Investment With a development cost of $1.5 billion, NISAR is the most expensive Earth observation satellite ever built. Its sheer scale and advanced technology justify the investment. The satellite includes a 12-metre-long mesh antenna, one of the largest ever used, and a cutting-edge dual radar system capable of detecting centimetre-level movements in Earth's surface. From earthquake shifts to glacial changes and subsidence, the data collected will be critical for understanding and managing natural hazards. ISRO's Strategic Role And Contribution India's space agency, ISRO, is contributing around Rs 788 crore to the mission. But the benefits go well beyond finances. NISAR will significantly boost India's ability to: Detect earthquakes, floods, and landslides early Monitor soil moisture and crop conditions to enhance agricultural planning Track glacier retreat, deforestation, and wetland changes Support disaster relief and climate policy formulation All NISAR data will be freely available worldwide, further elevating India's stature in global scientific and climate research. How Do The Dual Radars Work? NISAR's twin radars serve complementary functions: NASA's L-band radar observes land masses, forests, snow, and deep soil structures. ISRO's S-band radar focuses on finer details, including crop structures, shallow soil layers, and surface anomalies. Together, they will produce images at a 5 to 10 metre resolution over a swath width of up to 242 kilometres, every 12 days. What Will NISAR Monitor? The satellite is engineered for real-time tracking of significant changes in the Earth's surface, including: Earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity Ice sheet movement and glacier melt Deforestation, crop growth, and vegetation shifts Soil moisture, wetland status, and lake levels Disaster impact assessment following cyclones, floods, tsunamis, and wildfires This powerful monitoring tool will allow for timely, data-driven decisions that can save lives and protect natural ecosystems. A Mission For The Planet, Not Just India And USA NISAR is not just a symbol of India-US space cooperation, it is a mission for humanity. Its wide-ranging data will be vital for: top videos View all Urban development Climate change mitigation Food and water security Environmental protection Defence and security planning As climate and environmental concerns grow more urgent, NISAR offers a new lens to understand our planet—and act in time. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Indian satellite indian space mission Indian space programme ISRO ISRO satellite launch nasa nasa isro Space research space science Indian Space Research Organisation view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 23, 2025, 11:51 IST News explainers NISAR: Rs 13,000-Crore ISRO-NASA Satellite To Scan Entire Earth In 12 Days, Launch On July 30 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
