The NISAR mission, a collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), aims to enhance our understanding of Earth’s dynamic surfaces using advanced synthetic aperture radar technology. Set to launch from India in early 2025, NISAR is unique as it will utilize dual-band radar—L-band and S-band—allowing detailed observation of various geological and ecological changes. This includes tracking land deformation caused by natural disasters, monitoring glacier and forest dynamics, and contributing valuable data on the carbon cycle.
Project scientist Paul Rosen highlights NISAR’s significance, stating it will capture changes across the planet’s surfaces every week, achieving remarkable precision down to centimeters. The satellite will measure diverse surfaces with different radar sensitivities, enabling comprehensive analysis.
Data from NISAR will be readily accessible through cloud storage, supporting various scientific fields, including ecosystems, cryosphere studies, and solid Earth monitoring. This groundbreaking partnership marks the first joint hardware development between NASA and ISRO, showcasing the complementary strengths of both organizations. Collectively, NISAR endeavors to provide critical insights for scientific, environmental, and disaster response needs, revolutionizing our approach to Earth observation.
