NASA and ISRO to launch NISAR satellite on June 18, pioneering dual-band earth observation

India and the United States are set to lift off their joint Earth-observation mission, the NASA‑ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR), on June 18 aboard ISRO’s GSLV‑F16 rocket from Sriharikota’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

Valued at approximately $1.5 billion, the roughly three-tonne satellite represents the most sophisticated radar mission of its kind—featuring dual-frequency L‑band and S‑band synthetic aperture radars.

NISAR will systematically map nearly the full globe—over land, ice, and coastal regions—with revisit cycles every 12 days. It will deliver data down to centimetre-scale changes, regardless of daylight or weather conditions.

This dual-frequency radar capability marks a global first, combining NASA’s L‑band and ISRO’s S‑band payloads enhanced by a 12‑metre unfurlable reflector antenna.

The mission’s science applications are broad and vital: mapping forest biomass, tracking glacier and ice-sheet dynamics, monitoring soil moisture, and detecting land deformation from earthquakes, subsidence, volcanic activity, and landslides.

In emergencies, NISAR will offer timely Earth-surface snapshots to support flood, wildfire, or oil-spill responses.

Having completed co‑integration and testing at ISRO’s facility in Bengaluru, the satellite arrived at Sriharikota on May 15. It was carried overland in a specialized container—a 360 km journey—before being integrated into the GSLV‑F16 launcher.

Launch preparations included scrutinizing the cryogenic second stage of the GSLV‑F16, making this the rocket’s 12th flight since its inception.

Once operational in a 747 km sun-synchronous orbit, NISAR will provide freely accessible datasets through NASA’s ASF DAAC and ISRO’s “Bhoonidhi” portal—benefiting researchers, policymakers, and disaster-management agencies worldwide.