All Things Policy NISAR- New Era of Earth Observation Begins
Nov 3, 2025
Swathi Kalyani, a research analyst at the Takshashila Institution, delves into the groundbreaking NISAR satellite mission launched by NASA and ISRO. She highlights how this innovative technology enhances Earth observation by providing detailed insights into climate change, vegetation shifts, and geological activity. Swathi discusses the mission's implications for urban planning and disaster preparedness, as well as India's growing role in space leadership. NISAR is framed as a powerful symbol of global collaboration and commitment to better understanding our planet.
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Why NASA And ISRO Joined Forces
- NISAR merges NASA's radar expertise with ISRO's satellite engineering to overcome limitations of optical imaging.
- The collaboration targets all-weather, day-night Earth observation for climate and disaster challenges.
A Decade To Build A Joint Mission
- Formal talks for NISAR began around 2010 and the partnership was signed in 2014 after ISRO's Mars and Chandrayaan successes.
- The decade-long technical integration involved sharing L-band and S-band responsibilities and joint science teams.
Dual-Band SAR Enables New Measurements
- NISAR uses dual-frequency L- and S-band polarimetric SAR to penetrate canopy and capture millimetre-level ground movement.
- It images nearly every land and ice point every 12 days and will produce huge open-access datasets for global science.