NISAR Mission: 'Nisar' has flown into space! A new phase of the India-US joint mission; Know more

Today (July 30) at 5:40 PM, the NISAR satellite, jointly developed by India and the United States, will be launched from Sriharikota. This satellite will conduct an in-depth study of Earth's terrain, ice-covered regions, and ecosystems. NISAR stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar — an advanced Earth observation satellite.

For more than 10 years, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the American agency (NASA) have worked together to develop this system. The launch will take place at 5:40 PM using the GSLV-F16 rocket from the second launch site in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The countdown for this began yesterday (July 29) at 2:10 PM. NISAR weighs approximately 2,400 kilograms and its mission duration will be 5 years.

ISRO has developed the main structural part of the satellite and the launch system, while NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS receiver, and data transmission system. This satellite will observe seasonal changes, geological movements, glacier speeds, and conditions on ocean shores in areas such as the Himalayas, Antarctica, and the North-South poles. This data will be useful for environmental scientists, climate researchers, and policy makers.

The initial 90 days after launch will be known as the 'commissioning phase', during which the satellite's systems will be tested for functionality. After that, it will be fully operational for scientific study. This mission is an excellent example of collaboration between space research organizations in India and the United States. ISRO is handling the launch and control systems, while NASA is providing radar operations and orbit control. The satellite's data will be received at the ground stations of both organizations and processed to be made available to the global scientific community.