NASA-ISRO partnership’s satellite all set to arrive in India: What is NISAR and its mission?

Context

• The Earth-observation satellite called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is Jointly developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

About:

• NISAR has been built by space agencies of the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014.
• Once launched into space, NISAR will observe subtle changes in Earth’s surfaces, helping researchers better understand the causes and consequences of such phenomena. It will spot warning signs of natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides.
• The satellite will also measure groundwater levels, track flow rates of glaciers and ice sheets, and monitor the planet’s forest and agricultural regions, which can improve our understanding of carbon exchange