Overview

• On August 15–16, the joint NASA-ISRO mission completed the multi-stage deployment and mechanical locking of its 39-foot-wide gold-plated mesh antenna reflector in sun-synchronous orbit.
• The 12 m reflector—NASA’s largest ever space-deployed antenna—unfurled after a 9 m boom extension, explosive bolt release and motor-driven cable locks.
• Teams have entered a 65–90 day commissioning window to fine-tune radar sensors, perform system checks and conduct orbit maneuvers through September.
• Equipped with L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radars, NISAR will image Earth’s land and ice every 12 days with centimeter-scale sensitivity for disaster response, climate monitoring and infrastructure assessment.
• Processed radar products are slated for public release in mid-October, with expedited data streams available for emergency response applications.