'Eye in sky': ISRO launches advanced earth observation satellite for 'strategic data'
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.
On Friday, India's space agency, ISRO, achieved a historic milestone by successfully launching its first-ever imaging satellite into a geosynchronous orbit using a GSLV rocket. This marked the space agency's first successful mission of 2026. The EOS-05 satellite, weighing over 2,300 kg, was injected into its intended sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit approximately 18 minutes after its liftoff from the spaceport in Sriharikota.
The satellite is set to hover at an altitude of roughly 36,000 km above Earth, where it will match Earth's rotational speed. This is the heaviest satellite ever carried by a GSLV and will provide real-time imagery for various applications, including agriculture and disaster management. ISRO chief V Narayanan expressed his happiness, stating that the launch was a morale booster following some earlier failures.
The mission director, Thomas Kurien, highlighted that the EOS-05 is a uniquely configured satellite with multi-band operating capabilities, making it the heaviest satellite ever launched by GSLV into a GTO or sub-GTO orbit.
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