In a major milestone for international space cooperation, India and the United States are set to jointly launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite—hailed as the most expensive civilian Earth observation satellite ever developed. With an estimated cost of $1.3 billion, NISAR represents a new era in satellite technology and Earth monitoring.
NISAR will play a critical role in tracking environmental changes, including earthquakes, glacial movements, carbon sequestration, and climate change-driven events like glacial lake outbursts. It is expected to provide invaluable data to scientists and policymakers worldwide.
The satellite will be launched aboard India’s GSLV-F16, marking several firsts for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This is the 18th flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), the 12th with the Indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage, and notably, the first time GSLV will be used to place a satellite into a sun-synchronous polar orbit.
Reflecting on India’s journey in space technology, Dr. Narayanan, a senior space scientist, recalled the nation's early days in space exploration:
“From that humble beginning in 1975, when Aryabhata was launched with Russia’s help, we have come a long way. Today, two great nations have built a crucial satellite together, and I’m extremely proud that it will be launched from Indian soil on our own vehicle.”
The NISAR mission stands as a testament to India’s rising stature in global space initiatives and the strength of Indo-US collaboration in addressing pressing environmental challenges.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)