ISRO-NASA collaboration: NISAR to guard the planet
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Setting aside the goal of serving any single nation, the world’s first satellite dedicated to monitoring every inch of the globe — NISAR — is set to launch from Sriharikota on July 30th. Built over a span of ten years at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore, it is a joint project of the American space agency NASA and ISRO. It is the most expensive Earth-observation satellite ever developed, and a testament to ISRO’s technological prowess.
The name NISAR stands for NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar.
The launch is scheduled for 5:40 PM on the 30th, aboard the GSLV-F16 rocket. The satellite is launched into an orbit where it reaches the same location at the same time every day.
Complete global observation in 12 days
- Every twelve days, the satellite will complete a full scan of the Earth’s surface. Using advanced Sweep SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology, it will map and monitor global changes. The satellite is equipped with dual-frequency transponders — NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band — for detailed observation.
- It can deliver highly precise data in all weather conditions, day or night. It will capture even minute changes on the Earth’s surface, including glacier retreat, sea-ice movement, soil moisture variations, surface water mapping, cyclone tracking, vegetation and forest changes, seismic and volcanic activities, climate change indicators, and natural disasters.
Weight: 2,392 kg
Orbit altitude: 734 km
Existing Earth observation satellites: 1,167 (all serving individual national needs)