Sriharikota, September 4. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a major milestone by successfully launching EOS-05, the country’s first dedicated geo-imaging satellite, aboard the GSLV-F17 rocket and placing the 2,367-kg spacecraft into its intended sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.
The successful mission marked ISRO’s first launch achievement of 2026 and came after a gap of nearly eight months following the failure of the PSLV-C62 mission in January.
The GSLV-F17 lifted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 2.55 am on September 4 after a 27-hour countdown. Around 18 minutes later, the rocket precisely injected EOS-05 into the planned orbit, paving the way for its eventual placement in geostationary orbit at an altitude of about 36,000 km.
Once operational, EOS-05 will become India’s first dedicated imaging satellite positioned on a geostationary platform. The satellite is designed to provide near-real-time, multi-band imagery and is expected to support applications ranging from agriculture and disaster management to other strategic national requirements.
ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, V Narayanan described the mission as a significant achievement for the country’s space programme, confirming that the satellite was in good health and that its solar panels had been successfully deployed.
“I am very happy to announce that the GSLV-F17 vehicle has successfully and precisely injected the advanced EOS-05 geo-imaging satellite in the intended and required orbit,” Narayanan said after the launch.
He noted that the mission represented the 107th launch from Sriharikota and the 19th mission of the GSLV. The launch also marked a significant increase in the vehicle’s payload capability. The first GSLV mission, conducted in 2001, carried a 1,536-kg payload, whereas the September 4 mission placed the 2,367-kg EOS-05 into orbit.
Narayanan said the satellite would undergo a series of orbit-raising manoeuvres before being positioned in its required geostationary orbit. He attributed the achievement to the collective efforts of ISRO and its industrial partners.
Mission Director Thomas Kurien said EOS-05 had been uniquely configured for near-real-time imaging and was the heaviest satellite ever launched by the GSLV into a geosynchronous or sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Project Director (Satellite) Imteyaz Ahamad described EOS-05 as a highly complex spacecraft with multi-band capabilities, involving an advanced configuration and a range of sophisticated payloads.
The three-stage, 51.7-metre GSLV has a lift-off mass of about 420.5 tonnes and uses a cryogenic upper stage. EOS-05 was housed inside the rocket’s nose cone for the mission.
The mission also carried significance because it served as a replacement for the GSLV-F10/EOS-03 mission, which failed in August 2021 after an onboard computer aborted the flight about 307 seconds after liftoff. An investigation subsequently identified an anomaly in the cryogenic upper stage as the cause of the failure.
The success on September 4 comes after a challenging start to ISRO’s 2026 launch calendar. On January 12, the PSLV-C62 mission, carrying 16 satellites, failed to place its payloads into the intended orbit following an anomaly in the rocket’s third stage.
Despite the pre-dawn timing and rain, large numbers of spectators gathered at Sriharikota, many carrying umbrellas, to witness and cheer the launch.
With EOS-05 now successfully deployed, ISRO is set to carry out the subsequent orbit-raising manoeuvres before the satellite begins its planned operations from the geostationary platform.
