"Cutting-edge Earth Satellite Aces Pre-launch Testing"
The joint NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite, a trailblazing Earth-observing radar satellite, has successfully completed a 21-day thermal vacuum test in Bengaluru, India. The test evaluated the satellite's ability to function in extreme temperatures and the vacuum of space. Scheduled to launch in early 2024, NISAR will monitor the motion of Earth's land and ice, track dynamic changes in forests and agricultural lands, and observe movements from earthquakes and volcanic activity. This collaboration between NASA and ISRO marks the first time the two agencies have cooperated on hardware development for an Earth-observing mission.