NISAR mission: When, where & how to watch the launch of a landmark in Earth Observation 

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is a groundbreaking collaboration between the United States and India, poised to redefine how we observe our planet. As the first radar imaging satellite jointly developed by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NISAR will deliver unprecedented insights into Earth’s dynamic surface — from climate change and natural disasters to groundwater use and vegetation health. 

Launch Details – Don’t Miss It 

Launch Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 
Time: 8:10 a.m. EDT / 5:40 p.m. IST 
Location: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India 

How to Watch: 
Live coverage begins 7 a.m. EDT / 4:30 p.m. IST 
Stream on: 
NASA+ 
NASA YouTube 
JPL YouTube 
Real-time updates: Follow NASA’s NISAR mission blog 

A prelaunch briefing will be held Monday, July 28 at 12 p.m. EDT, featuring NASA and JPL officials. Watch it live on JPL’s YouTube channel and engage by posting questions with #AskNISAR. 

Key Facts About the NISAR Mission 

Joint Effort: First US-India satellite mission of its kind, combining NASA's L-band radar and ISRO's S-band radar. 
️ High Precision: Capable of detecting Earth surface changes as small as a few millimeters. 
Global Coverage: Operates in a sun-synchronous polar orbit, circling Earth 14 times a day, with a 12-day repeat cycle. 
️All-Weather Imaging: Penetrates cloud cover and vegetation, collecting data day and night. 
Scientific Applications: 
Tracks glaciers and ice sheets 
Monitors earthquakes and land shifts 
Maps vegetation and biomass 
Measures land subsidence from groundwater loss 

Mission Investment: 
Total Value: $1.5 billion 
NASA: $1.2 billion (radar systems, GPS, tech support) 
ISRO: ₹788 crore ($93 million) for platform, radar, launch vehicle, and infrastructure 
Open Data Access: NISAR’s data will be freely available worldwide—empowering climate research, disaster response, and sustainable agriculture. 

The NISAR mission represents a critical step in building a better understanding of Earth's processes and enabling informed action in the face of a changing plane