NASA and ISRO have announced that their long-awaited Earth observation satellite, NISAR, will likely launch in March 2025, after delays pushed back its initial 2024 launch date. The NISAR satellite, developed jointly over a decade, will provide comprehensive monitoring of Earth’s ecosystems, land, and sea ice, with remarkable precision. Using dual-frequency radar—NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band—NISAR will gather data to track environmental changes and monitor natural hazards.
The satellite, weighing 2.8 tonnes, was first conceptualized following a 2014 agreement between India and the US. The satellite’s advanced radar capabilities will enable it to produce high-resolution images in all conditions, even in darkness or adverse weather. It will be able to detect surface changes as small as one inch and offer insight into Earth’s crust and ecosystem shifts.
NISAR’s data will assist in global disaster response, monitor climate change, and provide detailed information on movements within Earth’s crust, including earthquakes and volcanic activity. The satellite will be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, with a planned focus on providing data that will support better management of natural resources and contribute to disaster mitigation efforts worldwide.