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Everything You Need to Know About the NISAR Satellite Launch and Capabilities

The NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite is a joint mission between the United States space agency NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).


The NISAR satellite under assembly inside an anechoic test chamber, with gold thermal blankets, blue shielding cones on the floor and walls, and supporting equipment around the spacecraft.
NISAR satellite during assembly and testing. Source: ISRO

The NISAR satellite was launched on 30 July 2025 at 17:40 IST (Indian Standard Time) aboard the GSLV-F16 rocket from India, NISAR is designed to measure subtle changes in Earth’s land and ice surfaces with unprecedented precision.


The satellite’s dual-frequency radar system makes it a world-first. By combining L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments, NISAR opens up monitoring capabilities that no previous satellite has been able to deliver.


Mission Snapshot

  • Partners: NASA and ISRO

  • Launch: 2025, from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre

  • Orbit: Sun-synchronous, approximately 747 kilometres altitude

  • Duration: Three-year baseline mission

  • Revisit: Global coverage every 12 days, with an effective revisit of around six days due to dual passes

  • Data Policy: Free and open access within 24–48 hours (faster for disaster response)


Why NISAR is Different

Traditional Earth-observing satellites either:

  • Used optical imagery, which does not work at night or through cloud cover, or

  • Used single-band radar, limited to either long-wave L-band or shorter-wave C/S-band.


NISAR combines L-band and S-band in one mission:

  • L-band (longer wavelength, 24 cm): Penetrates vegetation and forests, allowing measurement of ground deformation beneath tree cover.

  • S-band (shorter wavelength, 12 cm): Captures finer detail of surface features and infrastructure.


Together, the two radar frequencies provide a dual perspective of Earth’s surface, detecting broad, subtle ground shifts as well as small-scale surface changes.


Artist rendition of the NISAR satellite in orbit above Earth, showing its large radar antenna deployed and solar panels extended, with the curvature of Earth visible in the background.
NISAR satellite in orbit above Earth. Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech

What NISAR Enables That Was Not Possible Before


Monitoring Vegetated Land for Ground Instability

Until now, reliable monitoring of land movement under forests or farmland was very limited. Vegetation distorted single-band radar results. With NISAR’s L-band penetration, agencies can now track landslides and subsidence beneath vegetation, which is critical for hillside roads, rural communities, and agricultural land.


Affordable, High-Frequency L-Band Data

Previously, L-band radar data came mainly from commercial satellites that were costly and restricted to large-scale projects. NISAR will provide free L-band data updated every 6–12 days, making advanced ground movement monitoring accessible to councils, insurers, and engineering consultancies.


Tracking Infrastructure with Millimetre Accuracy

NISAR can detect shifts in infrastructure such as bridges, dams, and roads at the millimetre scale. Engineers will be able to identify both broad, slow deformation (such as valley floors sinking) and smaller changes (such as a motorway embankment slipping) well before they become visible.


Faster, More Reliable Disaster Response

Optical satellites are blocked by storms and darkness, which are often present during disasters. NISAR’s radar will:

  • Map flood extent through cloud cover

  • Show ground shifts after earthquakes

  • Detect volcanic swelling before eruptions


This enables faster, more targeted emergency responses, which were previously delayed or incomplete.


Supporting Climate and Carbon Accounting

NISAR will deliver the first global, high-resolution radar maps of forest biomass, enabling governments to measure carbon storage and track deforestation more accurately. This supports international climate reporting and emissions reduction targets.


Why This Matters for New Zealand and everyday Kiwis.


For a geologically active and environmentally dynamic country like New Zealand, NISAR’s capabilities will be highly valuable:


  • Continuous tracking of landslides and slope stability in regions such as Coromandel and Kaikōura.

  • Mapping of subsiding urban areas, whether caused by groundwater withdrawal or soft soils.

  • Ongoing monitoring of critical infrastructure such as bridges, highways, and dams.

  • Reliable data for emergency response after earthquakes, floods, or landslides.


AVANT partners with SATSENSE to deliver new satellite technologies to New Zealand home owners, insurance companies and regional councils.

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