The much awaited NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite is set to be launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. NISAR is an advanced Earth observation satellite that was developed over a ten-year period with a combined investment of more than $1.5 billion by ISRO and NASA. The mission, which marks a major partnership between the two space agencies, is to provide previously unheard-of precision in tracking changes to Earth’s land surfaces, ice sheets, and oceanic regions.
In contrast to ISRO’s custom of using PSLV for such missions, the 2,392 kg satellite will be launched into a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit aboard a GSLV-F16 rocket. This is the first time a satellite has been put into this specific orbit using the GSLV. Over the course of its anticipated five-year operation, the mission will greatly advance worldwide knowledge of environmental changes, climate change, and natural disasters.
Launch Day for GSLV-F16 & NISAR has arrived. Standing tall on the pad is GSLV-F16. NISAR is prepared. ISRO declared, “Liftoff today,” on X (previously Twitter). The project was praised by Union Minister Jitendra Singh as a “scientific handshake with the world,” highlighting the mission’s worldwide significance in tackling environmental and disaster-related issues.
