Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
The NASA-ISRO's Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, a joint initiative between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is now scheduled for launch in early 2025. The mission aims to provide valuable data on Earth's environmental changes and natural disasters.
NASA has announced the completion of the radar antenna reflector, a crucial component of the Nisar satellite. The reflector, which is approximately 39 feet (12 meters) in diameter, is essential for the satellite's microwave signal transmission and reception.
Credit : NASA
NASA plans to transport the drum-shaped reflector to an ISRO facility in Bengaluru by the end of this year. Once there, teams from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and ISRO will reintegrate it with the radar system for final preparations.
Credit : NASA
The radar antenna will enable Nisar to scan nearly all of Earth's land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days. Its advanced radar imaging will help scientists track ecosystem changes, ice-sheet dynamics, and natural hazards like earthquakes and tsunamis.
The delay in Nisar’s launch is attributed to orbital constraints and the ongoing eclipse season, which will last through February 2025. During this time, temperature fluctuations from alternating sunlight and shadows could interfere with the deployment of Nisar’s boom and antenna reflector.
The Nisar mission marks a major milestone in space cooperation between the U.S. and India. It combines NASA's radar technology with ISRO's satellite expertise, showcasing a robust partnership in space exploration.
Once operational, Nisar will provide unprecedented data to support global efforts in monitoring environmental changes, responding to natural disasters, and studying climate change impacts, helping to better understand Earth's dynamic processes.
NASA and ISRO will work together over the coming months to finalize the official launch readiness date for the mission, taking into account the technical and environmental factors affecting the satellite’s deployment.
Credit : NASA