The joint NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission has captured its first radar images of the Earth’s surface, previewing data that will soon support global monitoring of land, ice, and vegetation. Launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on July 30, 2025, the satellite was raised to its operational 747-kilometer orbit in mid-September and will survey land and ice twice every 12 days using a 12-meter drum-shaped antenna reflector, the largest NASA has flown.

Radar Capabilities and Applications

Sydney, Australia – September 2025 — The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), through UN-SPIDER, played a key role at the 32nd United Nations/International Astronautical Federation (UN/IAF) Workshop. Held under the theme “Resilient Coasts, Resilient Earth: Innovative Space Solutions for Coastal Resilience and Emergency Management,” the event was co-organized with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and supported by the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO).

Advancing Disaster Preparedness and Response in Southern Africa

Pretoria, South Africa, 15–19 September 2025 – UN-SPIDER cooperated with the Center for Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces (ZFL) of the University of Bonn, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and the International Disasters Charter, who co-organized a week-long training on the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters. 

Budapest, 18 September 2025 – The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), through its UN-SPIDER programme, joined global experts, scientists, and disaster risk managers at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Global Flood Partnership (GFP), held from 15 to 17 September at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). The conference, focused on the evolving challenges and opportunities in flood protection, brought together over 70 participants from across five continents.