NISAR stands as a testament to India’s space rise — co-building and launching satellites alongside NASA
Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme had a dream. He wanted to leverage space technology for India’s development and progress, focusing on practical applications like communication, weather forecasting and resource management. He envisioned a self-reliant India that could utilise space technology to uplift its people and address societal challenges. Over the years India has been moving in that direction, realising the dream of Vikram Sarabhai. It has an advance space programme which is world class and has used it for the betterment of its people from weather forecasting and mapping India’s natural resources. India yet again did that on Wednesday with successful launch of NISAR — the NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Satellite — from Sriharikota.
This $1.3-billion Earth observation satellite, the most expensive of its kind in the world, was not just a technological milestone but a powerful symbol of how far India’s space programme has come. Developed jointly by ISRO and NASA, NISAR represents the first major collaboration of its kind between the two agencies.
This isn’t just about launching a satellite. It’s about what it represents. When India launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975 with Soviet assistance, it was dependent on foreign platforms and expertise. Today, it is launching one of the most complex satellites in the world, co-developed with NASA, and doing so on its own rocket, the GSLV-F16. NISAR is the first satellite to use dual-frequency radar, with NASA contributing the L-band radar and ISRO supplying the S-band radar.
This hybrid system allows for an unprecedented level of detail in imaging Earth’s surface. NISAR will orbit the Earth every 97 minutes, capturing high-resolution snapshots of the planet every 12 days. These images will help scientists track changes in the Earth’s landmass — from deforestation and glacier shifts to soil movement, agricultural patterns and even early warning signs of earthquakes and landslides. NISAR could become a vital tool to counter climate change.
Indeed the credit goes to ISRO scientists for transforming ISRO into a world-class space agency. From launching low-cost satellites and interplanetary probes to developing indigenous cryogenic engines, ISRO has matured into a reliable and respected space agency. What makes NISAR different, however, is that it positions India not just as a provider of launch services, but as a co-designer of global scientific infrastructure.
India and the US, the two great countries have joined hands to build a transformative satellite, and it was launched from Indian soil. It signals trust, capability, and a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of Earth science. NISAR may well be the beginning of a deeper collaboration between India and global space agencies. With India preparing for its human space flight mission, Gaganyaan and exploring future planetary and lunar ventures, partnerships like this one will be crucial. At the same time, India’s increasing ability to independently execute complex missions gives it a strong footing in shaping the future of space exploration. The success of NISAR is, in every sense, a coming-of-age moment. And as the GSLV-F16 roared into the skies with NISAR onboard, it carried more than a satellite — it carried the promise of a future where India is at the forefront of space innovation.
