The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released the first set of S-Band radar data from the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, making the information accessible to researchers and users worldwide through the Bhoonidhi portal. The release marks an important step in advancing Earth observation capabilities and supporting scientific studies related to environmental changes.
ISRO has also shared sample radar images captured from different locations, including Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, the Brahmaputra basin in Assam, Antarctica, Idaho, Greenland and Indonesia. These images demonstrate the satellite’s ability to monitor coastal wetlands, agricultural activities, ice movement and other changes occurring across the planet.
The NISAR mission is designed to support research and practical applications such as coastal management, precision agriculture, disaster preparedness and climate monitoring. The satellite is the first space-based radar system to carry both L-Band and S-Band frequencies on a single platform, allowing it to collect detailed information about Earth’s surface.
Equipped with a 12-metre reflector antenna and advanced SweepSAR technology, NISAR can capture high-resolution images across a wide 240-kilometre area during each observation cycle. The satellite operates at an altitude of approximately 747 kilometres and revisits the same locations every 12 days, creating a continuous record of changes on Earth.
According to ISRO, the mission has entered its science phase and is currently collecting data from locations around the world based on its planned observation schedule. S-Band radar information is received through ISRO’s ground stations and processed at the Integrated Multi-Mission Ground Segment for Earth Observation Satellites facility operated by the National Remote Sensing Centre in Shadnagar, Telangana.
To ensure accuracy, ISRO is using a nationwide network of ground-based reflectors along with additional scientific reference points. The agency said data collected from Cycle 25 onward, which began on July 8, 2026, is available for download after processing, while earlier observations will be gradually reprocessed and added to the archive.
The publicly released dataset includes different types of processed radar imagery, including raw scans, geocoded products and interferometric data. These resources can help researchers identify small changes in Earth’s surface, including land subsidence, landslides and glacier movement.
ISRO has also introduced additional tools on the Bhoonidhi platform, allowing users to convert radar files into commonly used formats such as GeoTIFF and analyze information through QGIS-based applications. The agency noted that some images may contain minor visual issues, including striping or radio interference, which will be improved through future calibration efforts.
Launched on July 30, 2025, NISAR represents a major collaboration between NASA and ISRO, combining expertise from both agencies to improve global understanding of Earth’s changing environment.
