The US space agency NASA and the Indian space agency Isro have joined forces in a groundbreaking Earth observation mission called Nisar. Launched on July 30, 2025, this satellite will capture high-resolution images of the entire earth with centimeter-level precision, mapping nearly all land and ice-covered regions every 12 days.
Chaitra Rao, the project director of the Nisar mission, led a team that developed the entire satellite in collaboration with NASA. She highlighted the unique capabilities of the dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radars on board the satellite, which will help study climate change, natural disasters, and agriculture.
The mission is significant because it showcases Indian space engineering on a global stage by incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as high-data-rate Ka-band transmitters and advanced radar systems. Nisar will provide valuable data to monitor climate change, track soil moisture variations over time, identify drought-prone regions, and monitor carbon footprints.
Rao emphasized that the joint mission’s unique capabilities make its data a global resource for science, collaboration, and humanity. The satellite’s 12-day repeat cycle will allow scientists to track minor changes in any region with clarity. The data generated by Nisar will be publicly available on ISRO’s Bhoonidhi and NASA cloud platforms.
With this mission, India is solidifying its position as a major player in the global space industry. As Rao noted, “From the launch of Aryabhata in 1975 to the 50-year completion milestone we celebrated in April 2025, India’s space program has come a long way.” The Nisar mission marks an exciting new chapter in India’s journey towards becoming a leading space nation.
Source: https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!technology/exclusive-nasa-isro-one-vision-project-director-chaitra-rao-tells-the-nisar-story-enn25081904458