The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully placed the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit early Friday morning using the GSLV-F17 rocket.
The 51.7-meter-tall GSLV-F17 lifted off at 2:55 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This mission marks the 19th flight of the GSLV, and EOS-05 is India’s first imaging satellite designed to monitor Earth from a Geosynchronous orbit.
Congratulating ISRO on this success, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a moment of pride for the nation. He stated that the successful launch of EOS-05 via GSLV-F17 reflects the excellence, innovation, and growing capabilities of India’s space sector. The Prime Minister also noted that the expanding partnership between ISRO and Indian industry is lending new strength and greater scale to the country’s space program.
According to ISRO, EOS-05 has been precisely placed into the designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit. Mission Director Thomas Kurian described this as a significant achievement for the GSLV program. Weighing approximately 2,367 kg, EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite placed into sub-GTO by the GSLV to date. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan also expressed satisfaction with the rocket precisely delivering the satellite into the target orbit.
EOS-05 has been designed to strengthen Earth observation capabilities through comprehensive and continuous monitoring. During its operational phase, it will be capable of frequently imaging large geographical areas from an altitude of approximately 36,000 kilometers. Its data can be utilized for various Earth observation applications. With a lift-off mass of approximately 420.5 tonnes, the GSLV-F17 is one of India’s key operational launch vehicles, and this success significantly bolsters the nation’s space and Earth observation capabilities.
