Archive · 5 Sep 2026
ISRO Successfully Launches India’s Heaviest Geo-Imaging Satellite Into Orbit
India’s space agency, ISRO, launched a large satellite called EOS-05.
It used a powerful rocket called the GSLV-F17.
The rocket lifted off from Sriharikota early on Friday morning.
About 18 minutes later, it placed the satellite in the correct early orbit.
The satellite will later be moved higher, to an orbit about 36,000 kilometers above Earth.
From there, it can take images of Earth in near real time.
These images may help with farming and disaster management.
EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite ever launched by a GSLV rocket.
The successful mission was especially important after recent launch failures.
ISRO launched the 2,367-kilogram EOS-05 satellite aboard the GSLV-F17 rocket from Sriharikota on Friday.
EOS-05 reached its intended sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit about 18 minutes after liftoff.
The satellite is designed to provide near-real-time imagery for agriculture, disaster management and national activities.
The mission was ISRO’s first successful launch of 2026 and the 107th launch from Sriharikota.
The launch followed the failed 2021 GSLV-F10/EOS-03 mission and January 2026 PSLV-C62 failure.
- Who
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), led by chairman V Narayanan, launched the EOS-05 satellite using a GSLV-F17 rocket.
- What
- A GSLV rocket successfully placed the 2,367-kilogram EOS-05 geo-imaging satellite into its intended sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.
- When
- Friday in 2026; the rocket lifted off at 2:55 a.m. after a 27-hour countdown.
- Where
- The launch took place from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
- Why
- EOS-05 is intended to provide near-real-time imagery and strategic data for agriculture, disaster management and other national activities.
- Satellite
- EOS-05
- Rocket
- GSLV-F17
- Satellite mass
- 2,367 kilograms
- Initial orbit
- Sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit
- Planned altitude
- Approximately 36,000 kilometers above Earth
- Launch time
- 2:55 a.m. on Friday
- Mission significance
- India’s first dedicated imaging satellite intended for the geosynchronous platform