ISRO Scores Another Success with EOS-05 Launch

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved another major milestone with the successful launch of EOS-05 (GSAT-1A), a satellite designed to support national security and disaster management. The GSLV-F17 rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.55 a.m. on Friday. About 18 minutes after launch, at 3.13 a.m., the rocket successfully placed the 2,367-kg EOS-05 satellite into a sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit. Standing 51.7 metres tall and weighing 420.5 tonnes, the GSLV-F17 mission marked the 19th GSLV flight.

EOS-05 is designed to provide frequent observation of South Asia from a geostationary orbit. It can capture images of the Indian subcontinent once every 10 minutes and transmit the data for various applications. Its MX-VNIR payload is capable of collecting high-resolution information across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands. The satellite will support surveillance of border areas and provide near-real-time inputs during floods, cyclones and forest fires. It will also help monitor crop health, forests, water resources and mineral wealth. The successful mission comes after the GSLV-F10 mission carrying G-SAT-1 failed in 2021, making the latest achievement particularly significant for ISRO. Around 1,500 people watched the launch from the viewing gallery despite the rain. ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan welcomed the success and said the agency is working towards six more launches during the current financial year.