Designed to provide early warnings about earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and other natural hazards, the satellite will capture images of the entire Earth every 12 days. It will also track changes in forests, glaciers, farmlands, and wetlands crucial for assessing climate change and carbon balance.
Built on ISRO’s I3K platform, the 2,400-kg satellite combines advanced radar systems from both agencies: NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band. Together, they will generate ultra high-resolution images covering up to 240 kilometers in a single scan. NISAR carries a 12-meter antenna with a 9-meter deployable boom, allowing it to collect data with unprecedented precision.
The mission, with a planned life of five years, will make its data freely accessible to researchers worldwide. Scientists say the information will support climate studies, agricultural planning, glacier monitoring, and urban development.
Beyond environmental tracking, the high-resolution imagery is expected to assist India in border surveillance, particularly along the Himalayan frontiers with China and Pakistan. It will also help both countries monitor Himalayan glaciers and assess their vulnerability to global warming.
Equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, NISAR can penetrate clouds and capture images even at nightcapabilities that make it one of the most advanced and expensive Earth observation satellites ever built. Experts believe its continuous monitoring will provide governments with vital data for disaster management, environmental protection, and sustainable development.
