NISAR Mission Ready
New Delhi
NASA and ISRO will declare their jointly developed NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite operational on November 7, ISRO chairman V. Narayanan announced on Wednesday.
Launched on July 30, 2025, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre aboard a GSLV rocket, the 2,400-kg NISAR is the world’s most advanced Earth observation satellite. It can monitor most of the planet’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, providing crucial data on ecosystem changes, natural hazards, and climate patterns.
“Entire data calibration has been completed, and we will have a conclave on November 7 to declare the satellite operational,” Narayanan said at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) in New Delhi.
The NISAR mission is the first to carry dual-frequency SAR systems — the L-band and S-band radars. The L-band radar can penetrate forest canopies to measure soil moisture and forest biomass, while the S-band radar is more sensitive to smaller vegetation, agriculture, and snow moisture. Both systems can collect data day and night, through clouds and precipitation.
“All the data is very outstanding. Every 12 days, the Earth can be scanned — it’s going to be a highly useful satellite,” Narayanan said.
Turning to India’s human spaceflight mission, Narayanan revealed that the first uncrewed mission under Gaganyaan is expected in January 2026, with plans to send Indian astronauts into space by 2027.
He added that ISRO plans to launch the first module of the Bhartiya Antariksh Station by 2028, aiming for a fully operational five-module orbital lab by 2035. The station will accommodate up to six astronauts for short missions and three to four for long-term stays.
