Here's when ISRO plans to launch the $1.5B NISAR mission
What's the story
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, a joint India-US space project, is in its final stages of preparation. The launch is expected no earlier than late July from Sriharikota, India's spaceport. The satellite and the launch vehicle are already at the spaceport and will undergo final reviews this week before the historic event.
Project details
One of the most expensive satellite missions
The NISAR mission, a $1.5 billion project, has been in the works for over a decade. It is one of the most expensive satellite missions executed so far. The Earth-observing satellite will provide an unprecedented three-dimensional view of our planet's surface using advanced radar technology. This capability will help monitor and respond to natural disasters and climate change impacts on ecosystems and communities around the world.
Technological innovation
A unique collaboration between NASA and ISRO
The NISAR satellite is a unique collaboration between NASA and ISRO, featuring dual-frequency radar instruments operating in L-band (24cm) and S-band (9cm). It will map Earth's dynamic surfaces, including changes in ecosystems, ice mass loss, and the effects of natural hazards. The mission will provide spatially and temporally consistent data for understanding changes in Earth's ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass.
Data accessibility
Data collected will be freely and openly accessible
The NISAR mission will not just be a scientific endeavor but also a global initiative. The data collected will be freely and openly accessible, providing governments, researchers, and planners with critical information for water resource monitoring, infrastructure stability, sea level rise, and natural disaster preparedness.