[9] Data collected from NISAR will reveal information about the evolution and state of Earth's crust, help scientists better understand our planet's natural processes and changing climate, and aid future resource and hazard management.

[14][15][16] The satellite was originally scheduled to be launched from India aboard a GSLV Mark II on 30 March 2024, but it was postponed until further notice due to a needed hardware update.

[18] However, in an interview with the Times of India, Chairman of ISRO Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said that though the GSLV for NISAR will be built by March-April, the satellite is still undergoing tests and they were expecting some delay.

[19] Tests found that the reflector might face higher-than-expected temperatures when stowed during flight and so it was returned to the manufacturer in California to apply a reflective coating to mitigate the risk of overheating.

[20][21] On 15 October 2024, after the completion of all checks and tests, NASA's C-130 took off from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to embark on the multi-leg, multi-day journey to India.