India, Nov 29 : India’s most advanced radar satellite, NISAR, has begun its science operations, releasing its first high resolution images of the country an achievement eagerly anticipated by scientists from both India and the US.
The S-band radar aboard NISAR captured the Godavari River Delta in remarkable detail, highlighting mangroves, agricultural fields, arecanut plantations, and aquaculture ponds. ISRO released the image to mark the mission’s completion of 100 days in orbit. Launched on July 30, 2025, aboard the GSLV-F16 from Sriharikota, NISAR underwent a careful deployment sequence to prepare for operational readiness.
The satellite carries a 12-metre reflector, NASA’s largest in Earth orbit, mounted on a 9-metre boom that unfolded between August 9 and 15. Teams at ISRO’s ISTRAC in Bengaluru and NASA’s JPL coordinated the complex deployment of its wrist, shoulder, elbow, and root joints, ensuring both S-band and L-band radars functioned perfectly.
NISAR’s imaging accuracy was validated through data collection starting August 19, scanning India and global calibration sites. Corner reflectors near Ahmedabad refined pointing checks, while passes over the Amazon rainforest confirmed image consistency. The data is now suitable for agriculture monitoring, forestry, hydrology, geoscience mapping, and Himalayan ice tracking, with the satellite excelling in observing deltas even at night or under cloud cover.
Orbiting at 747 km in a sun synchronous trajectory, NISAR maps land and ice every 12 days. Its dual-frequency radar system can detect minute surface shifts, providing early warnings for disasters, tracking ecosystem changes, and monitoring climate pressures.
The $1.5 billion mission underscores the India-US collaboration in space technology, offering continuous, precise environmental insights. The successful start of NISAR’s science phase marks the beginning of a long-term period of detailed Earth observation.