NASA-ISRO NISAR Mission Enters Critical 90-Day Commissioning Phase: A Leap for Earth Observation
India’s space ambitions have reached new heights with the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission beginning the critical 90-day commissioning phase on August 1, 2025, just days after the spacecraft was successfully launched on July 30, from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The joint NASA-ISRO program to create and launch NISAR is a pivotal event that is ultimately expected to lead to significant improvements in Earth observations; the satellite will not just be another Earth observation satellite but rather the first mission that can monitor the dynamic processes of planet Earth in its entirety. Equipped with advanced sensors to study Earth’s land and ice surfaces, NISAR was launched aboard a GSLV-F16 rocket, and is currently completing rigorous tests and calibrations to prepare for its mission.
The NISAR satellite features dual-frequency L-band and S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), which will allow for simultaneous use of both radar frequencies and allow high-resolution imaging (5×5 meters) every 12 days. NISAR is currently in orbit at 737 km and will gradually be raised to 747 km over the next 45-50 days, according to Gerald W. Bawden, NASA’s Program Manager for Natural Hazards Research. NISAR’s radars will collect unprecedented levels of data – more than any other NASA mission – “all ice, all land, all the time” as soon as it turns on. This will shed light on issues related to climate change, natural hazards (earthquakes and tsunamis), and agricultural trends (including growth/distribution of crops such as corn and soybeans).
Because NISAR can see through clouds and in the dark, topics of travel/transportation, glacial activity, and other natural phenomena can also be observed every 12 days. NISAR will also allow scientists to view earth’s ecosystems, from the Himalayas to Antarctica, benefiting over 17 operational long-term space observations made by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). While ISRO’s previous missions (as Resourcesat; Risat, etc.) primarily focused on Indian territory, NISAR will benefit scientists all over the world, and is expected to provide satellite data to scientists within one to a few days (or hours in the case of a disaster). This means scientists will have the information they need to predict natural calamities or better manage resources.
This announcement illustrates the interplay of NASA and ISRO as they work together to meld a 12.5 hour time zone gap as well as different cultures with a passion for technology. Sanghamitra B. Dutta, NASA’s Earth Sciences Division Program Executive, recognized that the origins of dual frequency radars came out of brainstorming between ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). ISRO cares for societal benefits, while NASA cares for scientific research, making the collaboration a good fit and a good partnership across boundaries and innovation.
NISAR, which comes with a $1.5 Billion price tag is the most expensive Earth-imaging satellite even though ISRO will pay ₹788 crore and NASA will pay $1.118 million. As NISAR continues to make adjustments at orbital adjustments and deploy its antennas, institutions like the National Centre of Geodesy at IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Patna will facilitate the calibration processes. This is important, since it not only reinforces India’s ability to participate in global space exploration but it will also open several pathways going forward, such as human spaceflight collaborations
