TECH WATCH: ISRO's LEAP WITH NASA's NISAR AND BEYOND

                                  Image credit: NASA/JPL–Caltech (Public Domain)

FROM BORROWED ROCKETS TO GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS:

ISRO's LEAP WITH NASA's NISAR AND BEYOND 

Opening Hook

Half a century ago, India’s space journey began humbly — with a small American-supplied rocket launched from a fishing village on the Kerala coast. Today, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) not only builds and launches advanced satellites for itself but also carries payloads for the world’s biggest space agencies. The latest proof? The historic NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission — launched on July 30, 2025 — and the news that ISRO will soon put a 6,500 kg U.S.-built communication satellite into orbit.

The News That Sparked Pride

Speaking at an event near Chennai, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan highlighted the agency’s remarkable progress:

> “After the historic launch of NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission onboard a GSLV-F16 rocket on July 30, ISRO would be launching another satellite for the United States in the next couple of months.”

The upcoming payload — a 6,500 kg communication satellite — will be one of the heaviest foreign satellites ever launched by India.

What Makes NISAR So Special?

Joint Effort: Developed by NASA and ISRO.

Dual-Frequency Radar: L-band radar from NASA, S-band radar from ISRO.

Unmatched Accuracy: Detects surface changes as small as 1 cm, regardless of cloud cover or time of day.

Mission Goals: Monitor earthquakes, landslides, glaciers, forests, sea-level rise, and more.

Orbit: Sun-synchronous, ~747 km altitude, revisits every 6 days on average.

Launched aboard ISRO’s GSLV-F16 from Sriharikota, NISAR is designed to serve climate scientists, disaster managers, and environmental planners worldwide.

Mission Cost: 

Total mission cost is around US $1.5 billion, with NASA providing approximately $1.12 billion, and ISRO contributing around ₹788 crore (~US $96 million). 

From Dependence to Collaboration

India’s space odyssey began in 1963 with the launch of a small U.S.-supplied Nike-Apache rocket from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. Back then, foreign aid and technology transfers were essential.

Now, in 2025, India is a reliable spacefaring partner for advanced nations, launching missions of global scientific significance and commercial importance.

Why This Matters for India and the World

Science Diplomacy: Space missions strengthen India’s strategic partnerships.

Economic Impact: Foreign launches bring revenue and showcase India’s cost-effective engineering.

National Pride: Every milestone inspires a new generation of scientists and engineers.

Closing Thought

The NISAR mission is more than a satellite in orbit — it’s a symbol of how far India has travelled in its space journey. From borrowing rockets to launching the most sophisticated joint Earth-observation missions, ISRO has truly surmounted the small “i” and reached for the skies.

Call to Action:

What do you think will be ISRO’s next giant leap? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Grateful thanks to ChatGPT for its great help and support in creating this blogpost and NASA/JPL–Caltech for the image.