NISAR Satellite: Revolutionizing Earth Monitoring for Climate and Sustainability

NASA and ISRO have launched the cutting-edge NISAR satellite, marking a significant advancement in Earth observation technology. Deployed from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre into a sun-synchronous orbit, this radar-equipped satellite will orbit Earth every 12 days, capturing high-resolution surface changes—down to centimeters—even through clouds and darkness. NISAR’s primary goal is to provide a biweekly, detailed 'MRI' of our planet, delivering critical data for climate monitoring, disaster response, agriculture, and sustainable development. Its dual-frequency L- and S-band radars enable it to detect subtle shifts in glaciers, vegetation, ice sheets, and groundwater. The satellite's applications are vast: monitoring ice melt in Greenland and Antarctica, tracking deforestation in tropical regions, observing urban subsidence, and assessing coastal erosion. NASA’s Karen St. Germain described NISAR as “the most advanced radar system for Earth observation ever launched.” For India, NISAR represents a major step in space-based environmental management. Its insights are vital for understanding climate change impacts, such as glacier movement and delta sinking, providing essential ...