A full-disk view of Earth captured by Russia's Electro-L satellite, showing the Indian subcontinent at the centre, with Sri Lanka clearly visible below it, surrounded by the deep dark waters of the Indian Ocean. (Photo: X/@russembkenya)

Russian satellite snaps breathtaking images of Earth. You can see India

Russia's Roscosmos has released stunning new images of Earth taken by its Electro-L weather satellite, which orbits the planet from 36,000 kilometres above.

by · India Today

In Short

  • Russia's Electro-L satellite captures a stunning new image of Earth.
  • The satellite sees Earth using ten different channels of light.
  • Russia plans to grow its satellite fleet significantly over time.

Russian space agency Roscosmos has shared a striking new image of Earth, captured by its Electro-L hydrometeorological satellite.

This is a space-based weather-watching machine designed to keep a permanent, unblinking eye on our planet.

WHAT IS THE ELECTRO-L SATELLITE, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

The Electro-L is a Russian weather satellite stationed in geostationary orbit, which means it hovers at a fixed point roughly 36,000 kilometres above the Earth’s equator, moving at exactly the same speed as the planet’s rotation.

Think of it as a sentinel that never moves, always watching the same stretch of sky and sea below.

In this view centred over the Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia, the Electro-L captures the vivid green of the Philippine archipelago and the rust-red interior of Australia, alongside sweeping storm systems over the open ocean. (Photo: X/@russembkenya)

The image released by Roscosmos was taken using a multispectral scanning device. This is a camera that sees multiple types of light simultaneously.

Its field of view captures the Indian Ocean, along with Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.

HOW DOES THE ELECTRO-L SEE THE EARTH?

This satellite does not see the world the way your eyes do. It captures images in 10 spectral bands, which are channels of light across different wavelengths. Two of these are in the visible range: green and blue.

The remaining channels cover near-infrared, and then seven different medium- and far-infrared wavelengths. Infrared, simply put, is a form of light invisible to the human eye, but useful for tracking heat, moisture, and cloud movement at different altitudes.

Dominated by deep blues and swirling whites, this Electro-L image captures cloud systems over the open Pacific, with the eastern coastlines of Asia and North America visible at the edges. The layered cloud patterns visible here are precisely the kind of data meteorologists use to track weather systems and issue early warnings. (Photo: X/@russembkenya)

The resolution of images produced by the satellite ranges from one to four kilometres per pixel.

This level of detail makes it one of the sharpest Earth-observation weather satellites in operation.

WHAT IS THE DATA USED FOR?

The information captured is transmitted to Roshydromet structures, Russia's meteorological body, including the Planeta Research Centre and the Fedorov Institute of Applied Geophysics, where it is used to generate weather forecasts and monitor emergency situations.

The Electro satellites also relay signals from emergency beacons of the international satellite search and rescue system COSPAS-SARSAT, helping search and rescue services respond more effectively to distress signals.

HOW MANY SATELLITES DOES RUSSIA HAVE IN SPACE?

Russia currently operates approximately 1,559 active satellites, including numerous classified military systems.

The latest addition to the Electro fleet, Electro-L No. 5, was launched into geostationary orbit on February 12, 2026, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Proton-M launch vehicle.

Beyond weather satellites, Russia is aggressively expanding its orbital ambitions.

More than 900 low-orbit satellites under the Rassvet network are scheduled to go into space by 2035.

Russia's Electro-L satellite just sent back a stunning new image of Earth. Here's how it sees our planet in ways the human eye simply cannot, and why Russia's growing fleet of 1,559 satellites is only the beginning. (Photo: X/@russembkenya)

Russia's satellite constellation is expected to grow to about 650 state-owned satellites as part of a national project aimed at strengthening the country's position in space.

For now, the Electro-L image is more than a pretty picture.

It is a reminder that space, for Russia, is as much about strategic reach as it is about watching clouds.

- Ends