NASA and ISRO Launch Earth-Tracking Satellite

In a landmark collaboration, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the NISAR satellite on July 30, 2025, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. The satellite, which is equipped with advanced radar technology, aims to provide detailed, three-dimensional views of Earth’s dynamic surfaces.

The NISAR mission, a key component of the United States-India civil-space cooperation, was highlighted by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi earlier this year. The satellite’s advanced radars will monitor Earth’s land and ice surfaces, providing crucial data for disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, and agricultural management. The mission is expected to enhance understanding of natural phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.

Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, praised the mission’s successful launch and emphasized the importance of the data it will provide in safeguarding communities and infrastructure worldwide. The satellite’s ability to track changes in forests, wetlands, and permafrost over time will offer new insights into environmental changes.

The NISAR satellite, featuring L-band and S-band radar systems, marks the first collaboration between NASA and ISRO on a mission of this scale. The mission’s innovative technology enables it to capture data through clouds and darkness, making it a powerful tool for observing Earth’s surface in various conditions.

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan expressed satisfaction with the successful deployment of the satellite into its intended orbit. He highlighted the mission’s potential to fulfill scientific goals envisioned over a decade ago, enhancing the study of Earth’s dynamic surfaces in unprecedented detail.