India-US joint Earth observation mission: NISAR set to launch today from Sriharikota

In a major stride for space-based Earth monitoring, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite is all set to be launched today at 5:40 PM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota aboard India’s GSLV-F16 rocket.

GSLV-F16/NISAR
Today’s the day!
Launch Day has arrived for GSLV-F16 & NISAR. GSLV-F16 is standing tall on the pad. NISAR is ready. Liftoff today.

🗓️ July 30, 2025
Live from: 17:10 Hours IST
Liftoff at : 17:40 Hours IST

Livestreaming Link: https://t.co/flWew2LhgQ

For more… pic.twitter.com/bIjVJTZyMv

— ISRO (@isro)

GSLV-F16/NISAR
Today’s the day!
Launch Day has arrived for GSLV-F16 & NISAR. GSLV-F16 is standing tall on the pad. NISAR is ready. Liftoff today.

🗓️ July 30, 2025
Live from: 17:10 Hours IST
Liftoff at : 17:40 Hours IST

Livestreaming Link: https://t.co/flWew2LhgQ

For more… pic.twitter.com/bIjVJTZyMv

— ISRO (@isro) July 30, 2025

">July 30, 2025

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NISAR is the world’s first satellite equipped with dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar, operating on both L-band and S-band, which will allow it to capture high-resolution Earth imagery with remarkable precision. Developed jointly by NASA and ISRO, this cutting-edge satellite weighs 2,392 kg and will be placed in a Sun-synchronous orbit approximately 743 km above Earth.

Once in orbit, NISAR will scan the planet 24 hours a day, enabling real-time imaging of Earth’s surface. This will significantly help in detecting land subsidence, monitoring climate change, and supporting disaster management and agricultural planning. With its advanced radar system, NISAR can collect critical data even in cloudy or dark conditions, making it invaluable for continuous Earth observation.

The satellite will take about 19 minutes post-liftoff to reach its designated orbit. Designed for a mission lifespan of five years, NISAR is not only a technological marvel but also one of the most expensive Earth observation missions in the world, with an estimated cost of Rs 1.25 lakh crore.