NISAR has a 12-meter drum-shaped antenna reflector, the largest ever launched by NASA.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed the L-band radar for NISAR, which can resolve features as small as 5 meters and measure soil moisture and ice movement to fractions of an inch.
ISRO's Space Applications Centre supplied the complementary S-band radar for NISAR, which detects small vegetation and is ideal for monitoring crops and grasslands.
NISAR is designed to provide insights into natural hazards, agriculture, and climate change.
The precision of NISAR's L-band radar is vital for tracking earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, and seasonal crop growth.
NISAR was launched in July.
NISAR's first L-band synthetic aperture radar images were released in August and captured views of Mount Desert Island in Maine and agricultural regions of North Dakota.
NISAR will begin global science mapping in November, observing Earth's land and ice surfaces every 12 days.
The mission team is preparing NISAR to deliver vital Earth data to scientists, governments, and decision-makers worldwide.
NISAR was launched on July 30 under President Trump in partnership with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Earth-observing radar satellite's first images offer a glimpse of the mission's upcoming full science operations.
NISAR is the first spacecraft to carry both L-band and S-band radars.
NISAR will monitor Earth's land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, utilizing a 39-foot (12-meter) wide drum-shaped antenna reflector.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) manages the U.S. component of the NISAR project.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the Near Space Network, which receives NISAR's L-band data.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre provided the launch vehicle for NISAR, while the Satish Dhawan Space Centre handled the launch services.
The ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network monitors key operations related to NISAR, including the deployment of its boom and radar antenna reflector.
The L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system on NISAR can resolve objects as small as 15 feet (5 meters).
NISAR, a joint NASA-ISRO mission, is scheduled for 2025 and will map the planet every 12 days with L and S band radar.
NISAR has formal Level 1 requirements from ISRO to understand the nature of India's landmass and shorelines for agricultural and civilian development planning.