The first satellite of the RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite) series to reach orbit was RISAT-1. RISAT-1 was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on April 26, 2012. It marked a significant milestone for India's space program as it was the first indigenous satellite designed and developed solely for imaging the Earth's surface using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology.

RISAT-1 was built by ISRO's Space Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad, India. It was a polar-orbiting satellite, meaning it orbited the Earth in a north-south trajectory, passing over both the Earth's poles. The primary objective of RISAT-1 was to provide all-weather, day and night imaging capability for various applications, including agriculture, forestry, disaster management, and defence surveillance.

One of the key advantages of using SAR technology is its ability to image the Earth's surface regardless of weather conditions or time of day. Traditional optical imaging satellites rely on sunlight to capture images, making them ineffective during cloudy or nighttime conditions. SAR, on the other hand, uses microwave pulses and their reflections to generate high-resolution images, allowing for continuous monitoring and surveillance even in adverse weather or darkness.

The launch of RISAT-1 took place at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, India. It was carried into orbit by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), ISRO's trusted and reliable workhorse launcher. The PSLV-C19 vehicle was used for this mission, which was the 21st flight of the PSLV.