ISRO's GSLV-F17 Successfully Launches Key Imaging Satellite
Notably, EOS-05 serves as a highly anticipated replacement for the GISAT-1A satellite, which was lost during a launch failure in 2021.
Sriharikota: India early on Friday placed its first-ever Earth observation satellite in a geosynchronous orbit, with the spacecraft speeding away at over 36,000 kmph (10,197 metres per second) to its designated home 36,000 km in the sky. The EOS-05 is designed to provide advanced, near-real-time Earth observation data, significantly strengthening the country’s capabilities in land monitoring, environmental tracking and disaster management. This was the first successful launch for the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) this year.
Earth observation satellites are generally placed in the low Earth orbit, meaning they have a very small area that they can scan at one time. The EOS-05 at 36,000 km above the Earth can continuously monitor the same spot. The achievement drew praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and from across the political spectrum.
In a spectacular pre-dawn display, the rocket, in mission F17, lifted off on the dot at 2.55 am on Friday 05 mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, leaving a trail of orange flames that pierced the darkness, bringing cheer to space scientists fans and the hundreds of spectators who braved a downpour at the Visitors’ Gallery to witness the launch despite the late hour.
Standing 51.7-metre-tall, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) weighed 420.5 tonnes at lift-off from the second launch pad. It met and even surpassed expectations, as announced by Isro Chairman Dr V. Narayanan. The three-stage GSLV was equipped with an indigenous cryogenic upper stage and a four-metre-diameter ‘ogive’ composite payload fairing to accommodate the satellite. This was the heaviest satellite that the GSLV has hoisted into space so far.
It placed the satellite into its targeted sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit (sub-GTO), from where it will make its way to it space home. Dr Narayanan noted that Isro had targeted an orbit with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 170 km and an apogee of 29,000 km (farthest point from Earth), but the GSLV performed better than expected, placing the satellite at a 171-km perigee and a 31,000-km apogee, saving it much fuel which could extend its estimated lifetime of about nine years.
Isro will in the coming days carry out orbit-raising maneuvering to elevate the satellite to its home.
EOS-05, weighing in at about 2,300 kg, is being seen as a replacement for the Gisat-1 mission, which was lost following the failure of the GSLV-F10 launch in August 2021. The high-stakes mission was closely watched, coming after a challenging phase for Isro which had paused launches following anomalies in two successive PSLV missions, including the PSLV-C62 on January 12, to undertake detailed technical reviews.
Visibly elated by the success, ISRO chairman Dr V. Narayanan congratulated Team ISRO and acknowledged the contribution of industrial partners, academia and the organisation’s strong work culture. He said the solar panels of EOS-05 had been deployed and the satellite was in perfect health.
“This is the 107th launch from Srihariharikota and the 19th mission of GSLV,” Dr Narayanan announced, flanked by key scientists involved in the mission. “Today, we have injected the heaviest satellite 2,367 kg using this launch vehicle.” Quoting satellite data, he confirmed that all the systems were operating perfectly well and that the solar panel has been successfully deployed. “The health of satellite is perfectly all right,” he said.
Mission director Thomas Kurien said the EOS was uniquely configured for near-real time imaging. Project director (satellite) Imteyaz Ahamad noted that the EOS-05 was a unique, one of its kind satellite with multi-band operating capabilities. “It is a complex satellite in terms of configuration, content and capability.”
Despite the satellite’s capabilities of relatively ‘standing’ in one place with reference to Earth, its near-real time imaging capacity, its multi-band ‘eye’, Dr Narayanan insisted that EOS-05 was not a spy satellite. “Once EOS-05 is operationalised, it will become India’s first dedicated imaging satellite from the geosynchronous orbit, providing important strategic data for our country,” he said.
The successful mission drew praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hailed the achievement in a message posted on X. “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,” he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the expanding role of the private sector in India’s space ambitions, saying, “The growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry is adding new strength and scale to our space programme and expanding India’s capabilities across the entire space ecosystem.”
PSLV set for return as ISRO validates workhorse; six more launches planned
India’s trusted workhorse PSLV is on its way back to the launch pad, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) validating the vehicle and working on design improvements for upcoming missions, ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan said on Friday.
Dr Narayanan said the launch vehicle was currently undergoing validation. Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) U.P. Rajeev further indicated that the PSLV design was being improved to meet the requirements of new missions.
Dr Narayanan also announced an ambitious launch schedule, saying six more missions are planned during the current financial year. The missions include the NVS-03 navigation satellite and Gaganyaan’s first uncrewed mission, G1, marking another major step towards India’s human spaceflight programme.
Highlighting the capabilities of the country’s launch vehicles, the Isro chief said the GSLV Mk 11, designed to carry satellites weighing around 2,250 kg, had demonstrated its versatility by carrying the 2,367-kg EOS-05 and placing it very close to the intended orbit.
On the proposed satellite launch facility at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu, Dr Narayanan said the facility would remain under the Government of India, while its operation and maintenance would be undertaken by a private firm. He said ISRO was extending handholding and support to private companies as part of efforts to build a stronger space-sector ecosystem and expand private participation.
On the progress of the Third Launch Pad at Sriharikota, SHAR director S. Muthuchezhian said the designs had been finalised and the project was currently under progress, paving the way for enhanced launch infrastructure at the country’s spaceport.