NISAR: Tracking Earth’s Changes From Space (Mission Overview)

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Published 2024-01-09
NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) have teamed up to create a powerful new space mission that will track our changing Earth in fine detail. The satellite, called NISAR, will use an advanced radar system to deepen our understanding of deforestation, shrinking glaciers and sea ice loss, natural hazards, climate change, and other global vital signs.

Short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, NISAR features two radar instruments: one from ISRO, and one built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Peering through cloud cover and vegetation, the satellite will bounce radar signals off nearly all the planet’s land and ice twice every 12 days, monitoring motions of the surface down to fractions of an inch along with changes in other characteristics.

NISAR is undergoing final integration and testing at ISRO’s satellite facility in Bengaluru, India, and will launch from ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. Launch is expected in early 2024; the specific date will be announced by ISRO.

For more information on the NISAR mission, visit: nisar.jpl.nasa.gov/.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ISRO
All Comments (21)
  • @ankitbera1482
    Thank you NASA (The U.S.) & ISRO (India) for all your efforts.
  • @milesfoley804
    It's always fantastic to see two space agencies working together! Can't wait for launch!
  • @epicaffairs
    India's ISRO working for its people and the entire humanity.
  • @guykibler255
    Super cool mission. I teach Aerospace Education in the Civil Air Patrol and I've brought up SAR and NISAR before in classes about remote sensing/earth observation, and the cadets find it really interesting. Landsat data is already fascinating enough, but adding NISAR to the mix should bring it to a whole other level. Kudos to your "Get to know SAR" page on your website, superb resource on the basics of SAR and interpreting SAR imagery.
  • @alanmcmillan6969
    The ability to find and predict earthquakes is a very good thing. And the rest!
  • @sly2392
    our planet is a living entity. if we were to disappear earth would heal herself. 🌎
  • @osmia
    Love the promise of this large overview
  • @dancooper8551
    So interesting! Would love to work on a project like this.
  • @peekingowl4074
    I wish the they have used the GSLV mark3 instead of GSLV mk2
  • @razzmatazz2868
    How about all the rich people and wealthy nations built homes for every family on earth and gave them some bank balances so that the danger for early is low.