Why in news? 

The payload integration of NISAR has been completed at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory and will be shipped to ISRO by 2023.

About NISAR and its importance

• The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), or the NISAR mission, is a joint partnership between the two agencies.
• NISAR is a dual synthetic aperture radar. NASA is building the L Band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and ISRO is building S band SAR. And by the way, it’s going to allow both radars to go through one single 12 meter antenna to get that spatial resolution
• It is designed to observe and take measurements of some of the planet’s most complex processes which include natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.
• It will help scientists better understand the structural changes on the surface of the Earth.
• NISAR’s global coverage will provide opportunities to quickly respond to natural disasters.
• The radars enable NISAR to collect data round the clock in any weather condition. It will image the entire Earth every 12 days. The data will be freely available and open to the public.