India’s first imaging satellite in geosynchronous orbit lifts off successfully

In its first launch since January, the Indian Space Research Organisation sent an earth observation satellite, EOS-05, to space early Friday morning, using a GSLV-Mk II rocket. EOS-05 is India's first dedicated imaging satellite to be placed in the geosynchronous orbit, about 36,000 km from the Earth, from where it can keep a constant watch over the country and provide real-time imaging service.

India has several other active earth observations satellites in the lower-earth orbits which circle the Earth and periodically capture imagery over India. In the geosynchronous orbit, the satellite remains stationary relative to Earth, and is therefore able to watch the same region continuously, without any gaps.

The successful launch is a big relief for ISRO which has gone through one of its most difficult phases in the last two years. Three of the six missions launched in 2025 and 2026 turned out to be unsuccessful with the satellites unable to reach their intended orbits due to anomalies in the launch vehicle or the spacecraft engine.

Because of this, subsequent missions went through extended reviews and checks to avoid another failure. The launch that happened on Friday was ready in February itself, but had been put on hold to enable additional rounds of checks and tests.

"This is a great achievement in our country's space programme, because this is the first earth observation satellite to be placed in geo-platform for national activities. This success is the culmination of team work of ISRO, its industrial partners and also the academia which has provided a lot of support," ISRO chairman V Narayanan said after the satellite was deposited into the orbit.

"Also, this success is because of the open work culture and vibrant review mechanism of ISRO," he said. "All the satellite systems are working fine and are normal. The solar panel has been deployed. The health of the satellite is perfectly alright.

In the coming days we will raise the orbit of the satellite and place it in the geosynchronous orbit," he said. ISRO's previous launch, in January this year, had proved to be unsuccessful, with the PSLV-C62 mission, carrying an earth-observation satellite, EOS-N1, developing problems in the rocket during the third stage of the flight.

A similar failure with the PSLV rocket, ISRO's most trusted and most used rocket, had happened last year as well. That rocket too had developed problems in the third stage of the flight. However, the most important mission of 2025, the launch of NISAR (NASA-ISRO Satellite Aperture Radar) satellite, had been a success, and is now operational.

NISAR is the first of its kind joint mission with NASA, is one of the most powerful earth observation satellites to be put in space, the result of over a decade of research and development by the space agencies of India and the United States.