India, U.S. Successfully Launch Joint NISAR Satellite

India and the United States have successfully launched NISAR, their first jointly developed Earth observation satellite, aboard the GSLV-F16 rocket from Sriharikota. NISAR is equipped with dual-frequency L-band (NASA) and S-band (ISRO) radar systems, enabling it to scan nearly the entire globe every 12 days over a mission lifespan of at least three years. The satellite can monitor land deformation, ice sheet changes, ecosystem shifts, natural disasters, and infrastructure, regardless of weather or lighting conditions. Its data will be publicly accessible, supporting climate science, disaster response, and environmental monitoring. The mission is hailed as a significant achievement in U.S.-India space collaboration and international science partnerships. Data from NISAR will improve understanding of climate dynamics, carbon cycles, aquifer depletion, and other key planetary processes.