ISRO on Saturday said that the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is systematically imaging the Indian landmass in S- and L-bands to deliver high-resolution, wide-swath data with a repeat cycle of 12 days, enabling the generation of soil moisture products at a 100-metre resolution.
The space agency said soil moisture, a key indicator of crop health, irrigation requirements and drought risk, plays a critical role in India’s agriculture and water management systems. The data demonstrated using both S- and L-band radar signals provides consistent estimates across India’s diverse agro-climatic regions, ranging from irrigated plains and rainfed farmlands to semi-arid and high-rainfall zones.
According to ISRO, the physics-based soil moisture retrieval algorithm has been developed at the Space Applications Centre (SAC-ISRO), ensuring scientific robustness, reliability and operational accuracy.
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“With the ability to deliver two observations every 12 days, NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) enables near-real-time tracking of soil moisture dynamics. This frequent monitoring supports irrigation planning, drought preparedness, agrometeorological advisories and regional water resource management at scales relevant to districts and farming communities,” ISRO stated.
To support national-level operations, the 100m Level-4 operational soil moisture products, with two observations every 12 days, will be systematically generated at the National Remote Sensing Centre (IMGEOS/NRSC). The data will be disseminated through the Bhoonidhi Portal, ensuring seamless access for farmers, planners, researchers, government agencies and non-government entities across the country.
ISRO said the regular availability of high-resolution soil moisture data would strengthen decision-making in agriculture, enhance climate resilience, and improve the efficiency of water use across sectors dependent on monsoon variability.
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