Weighing 2,392 kg, NISAR is a state-of-the-art Earth observation satellite equipped with dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band  both operating via NASA’s 12-meter unfurlable mesh reflector antenna. These systems are mounted on a modified I3K satellite bus from ISRO. Notably, the mission will use SweepSAR technology, offering a 242 km swath and high-resolution imaging.

 

NISAR will deliver global, all-weather, day-and-night data every 12 days. It can detect subtle surface changes such as ground shifts, ice movements, and vegetation patterns. The data will support applications like sea ice tracking, storm monitoring, soil moisture changes, ship detection, and disaster response.

 

ISRO emphasized that the mission stems from over ten years of technical collaboration between ISRO and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Multiple ISRO centres contributed, including the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad (S-band SAR) and the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (spacecraft bus).