New Delhi (EFE).- India, in collaboration with NASA, on Wednesday successfully launched the NISAR satellite into orbit, marking a major step forward in Earth observation and natural disaster prediction.
The launch took place at 5:40 pm local time from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sriharikota Island in southern India.
The GSLV-F16 rocket carrying the three-ton satellite lifted off on schedule. Soon after, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that NISAR had been placed in orbit about 743 kilometers above the Earth.
“Separation confirmed. Each stage, precise. Cryo ignition and Cryo stage performance flawless. GSLV-F16 delivered NISAR to orbit,” ISRO said on X, formerly Twitter.
NASA also celebrated the milestone, stating that the “Synthetic Aperture Radar spacecraft” successfully separated from the launch vehicle.
“Our Earth science fleet just got (…) NISAR. We’d say this satellite is more than nice, it’s great.”
NASA said that the Earth-observing satellite is designed to “map surface changes in unprecedented detail.” “NISAR will help manage crops, monitor natural hazards, and track sea ice and glaciers,” NASA added.
NISAR is the first radar satellite to use both L-band and S-band frequencies simultaneously, allowing it to collect data 24/7, even through adverse conditions like cloud cover, fog, or storms.
The mission will also detect subtle shifts in the Earth’s crust, providing crucial data for forecasting earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides. All data will be made freely available to institutions worldwide.
NISAR will scan nearly the entire Earth’s surface every 12 days and is expected to begin its full scientific operations about three months after launch.
“The potential from the satellite are huge and the global scientific community is eagerly awaiting for the satellite data,” said ISRO chief V. Narayanan.
India’s Minister of Technology, Jitendra Singh, called the mission a “game changer” in managing natural disasters such as cyclones and floods.
“NISAR’s capacity to penetrate through fogs, dense clouds, ice layers, etc., makes it a pathbreaking enabler for the aviation and shipping sectors,” he said.
With an estimated cost of over $1.5 billion, NISAR is considered the world’s most expensive Earth observation satellite. EFE
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