SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday successfully launched the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite aboard the GSLV-F17 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, marking another major milestone in India’s space programme.
The launch took place from the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, with GSLV-F17 carrying the satellite towards a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO).
The mission marked the 19th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
EOS-05 is a state-of-the-art Earth observation spacecraft and is significant for being India’s first imaging satellite intended for operation from geosynchronous orbit.
From its operational orbit, the satellite is designed to provide repeated observations of large areas of the Earth and support applications including weather monitoring, agricultural assessment and other Earth observation requirements.
Union Minister of State for Space Dr Jitendra Singh congratulated ISRO and the scientists associated with the mission.
“Another giant leap for India in Space! Kudos to Team ISRO on the successful launch of GSLV-F17/EOS-05,” Singh said in a post on X.
He said EOS-05 would enable advanced imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands, describing the mission as another step towards strengthening India’s position as a global space power.
The launch also drew considerable public interest, with students, teachers and space enthusiasts gathering at Sriharikota to witness the lift-off despite rain.
GSLV-F17 features a four-metre-diameter ogive composite payload fairing and was tasked with injecting EOS-05 into Sub-GTO, from where the satellite is expected to manoeuvre towards its operational orbit.
The mission assumes significance for the GSLV programme, which is designed to carry heavier spacecraft towards geosynchronous orbits.
The previous mission, GSLV-F16, had successfully launched the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite in July 2025.
With the successful GSLV-F17 mission, ISRO has further demonstrated the capability of its geosynchronous launch vehicle platform while advancing India’s Earth observation programme.
