‘Eye in sky’: ISRO launches advanced earth observation satellite for ‘strategic data’

SRIHARIKOTA (Andhra Pradesh): ISRO on Friday made its way into history books yet again with the successful launch of the country’s first ever imaging satellite in geo-orbit, placing the over 2,300 kg payload into a precise orbit using a GSLV rocket.

“The eye in the sky,” as one of the senior scientists involved in the mission described the satellite, is set to provide real-time imagery and help the nation in areas including agriculture, and disaster management.

Friday’s launch marked the space agency’s maiden success for the year 2026.

The EOS-05 satellite was successfully placed in the intended sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit, about 18 minutes after it lifted off from the spaceport here, ISRO announced.

The space agency dismissed speculations that EOS-05 was a “spy satellite”.

While several earth observation satellites operate from low earth orbit (LEO), the EOS-5 satellite is set to hover at an altitude of roughly 36,000 km above earth, which is the geosynchronous orbit and at that level, the satellite will match Earth’s rotational speed.

At over 2,300 kg, this is the heaviest satellite ever to be carried by a GSLV and the satellite was perfectly ahead in its trajectory.

The mission success, following some earlier failures, was apparently a morale booster.

A beaming ISRO chief V Narayanan said: “I am very happy to announce that the GSLV F-17 vehicle has successfully and precisely injected the advanced EOS-05 geo imaging satellite in the intended and required orbit.”

“This is the 107th launch from Srihariharikota and the 19th mission of GSLV,” the Secretary, Department of Space, flanked by key scientists involved in the mission, said soon after the launch.

He recalled that the first launch of GSLV (D1) was done with a payload of 1,536 kg and since then, gradually, ISRO improved the performance of GSLV by optimising the structural mass, and improving the propulsion systems. “Today, we have injected the heaviest satellite 2,367 kg using this launch vehicle.”

Once the EOS-05 is operationalised in the orbit, it will become India’s first dedicated imaging satellite from the geo-orbit providing “strategic data” for the country, he said.

PM hails successful launch

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the successful launch of the country’s first-ever imaging satellite in geo-orbit and said it was a proud moment for the country.

“Yet another outstanding achievement by ISRO and a proud moment for our nation. The successful launch of GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05, India’s first-ever imaging satellite from Geosynchronous orbit is a reflection of the excellence, innovation and growing capabilities that define India’s space sector,” Modi said in a post on X.

The prime minister said the growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry is adding new strength and scale to the country’s space programme and expanding India’s capabilities across the entire space ecosystem.