NISAR satellite to revolutionize Earth observation in NASA-India partnership

A new satellite mission is scheduled to launch on July 30, marking a significant milestone in the new partnership between the United States and India.

The new partnership marks a historic milestone for U.S.–India civil space cooperation, NASA stated in a press release touting President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi.

The U.S.-India satellite, called NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), will scan nearly all of Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, providing high-resolution data for scientists to monitor the planet’s land and ice surfaces and build a detailed record of how they shift over time.

The mission will also measure changes in the planet’s terrestrial ecosystems, the growth and retreat of its ice sheets, glaciers, and sea ice, as well as tectonic deformation of its crust. The new partnership marks a historical milestone for U.S.–India civil space cooperation. 

Additionally, the information NISAR provides will help “decision-makers, communities, and scientists monitor agricultural fields, refine understanding of natural hazards such as landslides and earthquakes, and help teams prepare for and respond to disasters like hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions,” NASA said adding that the satellite will also provide key global observations of changes to ice sheets, glaciers, and permafrost, as well as forests and wetlands.

Two synthetic aperture radars aboard NISAR will detect changes in the planet’s surface down to fractions of an inch, NASA added. The satellite’s ability to “see” through clouds and light rain, day and night, will enable data users to continuously monitor earthquake- and landslide-prone areas and determine how quickly glaciers and ice sheets are changing. 

The satellite launched aboard an ISRO Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on India’s southeastern coast.