The NISAR mission, a collaborative effort between NASA and ISRO, is set to launch in March 2025 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. This mission will deploy the world's most advanced and expensive Earth observation satellite, designed to monitor global environmental changes and natural disasters through its Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology.

Launch date is expected in March 2025, with preparations currently underway for transport to the launch site.

The mission is estimated to cost approximately ₹12,505 crore (around $1.5 billion), making it one of the most expensive satellite missions globally.

NISAR will utilise two radars—an L-band radar developed by ISRO and an S-band radar developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It will scan nearly all land and ice surfaces on Earth every 12 days, providing critical data for various scientific applications including monitoring ecosystems, land use, and climate change.

The satellite aims to revolutionize Earth observation by capturing high-resolution images that can be used to track subtle changes in the Earth's surface, such as shifts as small as one inch.

ISRO has outlined a busy schedule for 2025, with multiple launches planned in addition to NISAR. This includes the launch of an advanced navigation satellite and a humanoid robot as part of the Gaganyaan mission. The successful launch of NISAR is expected to solidify India's position in global space exploration and environmental monitoring efforts.

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