World's Costliest Earth Satellite NISAR Takes Off

Isro, Nasa Make History With Successful Launch Of First Joint Project

- SHINE JACOB

In a major step towards the Indo-US space partnership, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) on Wednesday successfully launched the earth observation satellite, NISAR, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is the costliest earth observation satellite till date, with an investment of $1.5 billion. This is also the first joint development project by the space agencies of both India and the United States.

NISAR, weighing 2,392 kg, will scan nearly all of earth's land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, providing insights into the expansion and contraction of ice sheets, sea ice, and glaciers, the deformation of its crust due to natural hazards, as well as natural and human changes to earth's terrestrial ecosystems.