NISAR, a joint satellite mission between NASA and ISRO, represents the first time the two agencies have collaborated on hardware development for an Earth-observing project. The mission involves equal participation from both organizations. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, is responsible for providing the L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), as well as several key components including the radar reflector antenna, deployable boom, high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, solid-state recorder, and payload data subsystem.
On the Indian side, the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru leads ISRO’s contribution by supplying the spacecraft bus, launch vehicle, associated launch services, and satellite mission operations. The Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad provides S-band SAR electronics.
The NISAR satellite will be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota using an ISRO Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle.
U.S. Mission to India’s Charge D’Affaires Jorgan K. Andrews commented on the significance of this collaboration: “During their February meeting in Washington, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi underscored space cooperation as a priority for the bilateral relationship. NISAR, an unprecedented joint satellite mission between NASA and ISRO, marks a new chapter in the growing collaboration between our two space agencies. As NISAR begins its journey to unlock new insights about the planet, it is a testament to this collaboration.”
NISAR is designed to observe changes on Earth's surface with high precision using synthetic aperture radar technology. Its data will support research into volcanoes (https://bit.ly/3CT2xbL), agriculture (https://bit.ly/4fX4eTh), critical infrastructure (https://bit.ly/4eMRcXv), and ecosystems (https://bit.ly/4gJCVfg). These applications are expected to help scientists track environmental changes such as shifts in forests and wetlands or farmland patterns.
Additional resources about how synthetic aperture radar works can be found at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/how-new-nasa-india-earth-satellite-nisar-will-see-earth/. A Q&A with NISAR project scientist Paul Rosen is available at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/how-us-indian-nisar-satellite-will-offer-unique-window-on-earth/.
Updates about NISAR are available through NASA's official channels on X (@NASAEarth), Facebook (NASAEarth), Instagram (@NASAEarth), as well as ISRO’s social media platforms including X (@ISRO) and Instagram (@isro.dos).
For more information about NISAR or related news briefings and activities visit go.nasa.gov/4558bSi.