Launch Of NISAR Satellite With GSLV-F16 Today

Nellore:Isro is launching the Nisar satellite at 5.40 pm on Wednesday, July 30, using the GSLV-F16 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, Sriharikota.

The countdown lasting 27 hours and 30 minutes commenced at 2.10 pm on Tuesday and was progressing smoothly.

Nisar, weighing 2,392 kg, is a unique earth observation satellite. This is the first satellite to observe the earth with a dual frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nasa’s L-band and Isro’s S-band), both using Nasa’s 12m unfurlable mesh reflector antenna.

The satellite will scan the entire globe and provide all weather, day & night data at 12-day intervals and enable a wide range of applications. Nisar can detect even small changes in the Earth’s surface such as ground deformation, ice sheet movement and vegetation dynamics.

After reaching the orbit, the satellite will begin its data-gathering mission following a three-month test and calibration phase. Nisar would capture high-resolution images and fine measurements to provide critical information on earthquakes, floods, landslides, and other land changes.

This mission marks another major milestone in Indo-US space collaboration and strengthens India's position in global space research.

Isro chairman V. Narayanan is personally overseeing the final preparations at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. A team of Nasa scientists also arrived at the centre on Tuesday evening.

In keeping with the tradition followed by his predecessors, Narayanan offered prayers on Tuesday at several sacred temples seeking blessings for the success of the Nisar satellite launch. Narayanan visited the Tirumala temple, the Srikalahasteeswara temple in Srikalahasti and the Changalamma temple in Sullurpeta.

Speaking to the media at Tirumala, he said, “This is a very important mission for Isro. The Nisar satellite, developed jointly by Nasa and Isro, will play a crucial role in Earth observation and environmental monitoring.”