NASA and India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have partnered on a $1.5 billion satellite mission to revolutionize our understanding of the planet’s surface with the NISAR satellite, set to launch on June 18, 2025. This groundbreaking collaboration aims to track the Earth’s surface with unparalleled precision, providing critical insights into ecosystems, water bodies, and natural disasters.
At the heart of NISAR lies advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, allowing it to capture high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day. This ability will help monitor Earth’s surface in real-time, even through clouds, smoke, ash, and dense vegetation.
The satellite’s dual-frequency radar capabilities will provide incredibly detailed maps of forests, wetlands, and water bodies, aiding scientists in understanding climate change, sea level rise, and the movement of Earth’s ice sheets. NISAR will also detect tiny changes in the surface down to a few millimeters, enabling precise tracking of subsidence, landslides, and earthquake damage.
With real-time data every 12 days, NISAR will provide critical information for disaster management, post-event analysis, and environmental protection efforts. The satellite’s radar signals will help track soil moisture levels in agriculture, estimating irrigation needs and conserving water. It will also monitor flooding events, wetland health, and glacier melt, offering valuable insights into climate change.
Launched on June 18, 2025, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, NISAR will provide comprehensive global coverage, with a special focus on regions such as Antarctica. This historic collaboration between NASA and ISRO marks a significant milestone in international partnerships in space exploration and Earth science.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/06/nasa-india-to-launch-1-5-billion-satellite