NISAR: 5 things to know about NASA and ISRO's joint satellite mission in 2024

NISAR is set to be a joint space mission between NASA and ISRO, set to be launched in the first couple of months in 2024.

After the resounding success of India's Moon mission Chandrayaan-3, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch a new space mission - NISAR - in collaboration in with the US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

NASA and SRO's joint space mission NISAR will be launched in January 2024 tentatively. (Photo - NASA)(NASA)

NASA administrator Bill Nelson touched down in India on Tuesday, expressing his enthusiasm for a week of meetings and events aimed at strengthening the partnership between the NASA and the ISRO.

During his stay in India, Nelson is scheduled to visit the Bengaluru-based facilities where the NISAR spacecraft, a joint Earth-observing mission between the NASA and its Indian counterpart, is undergoing testing and integration for launch in 2024.

5 things to know about NISAR space mission

1. A joint venture between space agencies NASA and ISRO, NISAR is short for NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar. When it is launched, NISAR will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies.
2. The total cost of the NISAR project is USD 1.5 billion, which comes out to ₹12,505 crore in Indian currency. This makes the joint project the most expensive Earth imaging satellite in the world.
3. NISAR is likely to be launched in January 2024, and will use its advanced radar imaging technology to map the elevation and movement of Earth's land masses and ice sheets four to six times a month, at a resolution of 5-10 metres.
4. The main aim of the NISAR satellite is the observe the most complex natural processes of the planet, including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet collapse, as well as earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides.
5. The data collected by NISAR will be helpful for scientists and experts to know more about the evolution of the Earth's crust, predict and analyse natural disasters and understant more about the natural resources of the planet. The data will be made available for free.