ISRO will launch EOS-05, India’s first geosynchronous imaging satellite
NEW DELHI: The Indian Space Research Organisation is set to return to the launch pad on September 4, 2026, with the GSLV-F17 mission carrying EOS-05, an advanced Earth-observation satellite designed to operate from geosynchronous orbit.
The liftoff is scheduled for 2:55 am IST from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
EOS-05, also known as GISAT-1A, will be India’s first imaging satellite stationed in geosynchronous orbit, approximately 36,000 kilometres above Earth.
Unlike conventional low-Earth-orbit remote-sensing satellites that pass over a location only periodically, a geosynchronous platform can remain fixed relative to the Indian landmass, enabling frequent and near-continuous observation of large areas.
Mission Profile and Launch Vehicle
GSLV-F17 will be the 19th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. The three-stage rocket, standing 51.7 metres tall and weighing about 420.5 tonnes at liftoff, will use a four-metre-diameter ogive composite payload fairing.
It will place the roughly 2,367-kilogram satellite into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit with a perigee of around 170 kilometres and an apogee of approximately 28,934 kilometres. EOS-05’s onboard propulsion system will then raise it to its operational geosynchronous orbit.
ISRO has confirmed that live coverage of the mission will begin at 2:25 am IST. Launch enthusiasts can also view the event from the Launch View Gallery at Sriharikota after online registration.
Capabilities of EOS-05
The satellite is equipped for multispectral and hyperspectral imaging. It is designed to deliver images of selected priority areas as frequently as every five minutes and cover the entire Indian landmass approximately every 30 minutes, with a spatial resolution of around 42 metres under cloud-free conditions. This high temporal resolution is expected to prove particularly valuable for tracking fast-evolving events.
Data from EOS-05 is intended to support weather monitoring, cyclone tracking, flood and forest-fire detection, agricultural assessment, natural-resource mapping and strategic surveillance.
Agencies involved in disaster management, meteorology, agriculture and national security stand to benefit from the ability to obtain repeated updates over the same region without waiting for the next orbital pass of a polar-orbiting satellite.
A Long-Awaited Capability
The mission represents a second attempt to establish geosynchronous imaging capability. The earlier GISAT-1 satellite, designated EOS-03, was lost during the GSLV-F10 launch in August 2021 after an anomaly in the cryogenic upper stage prevented the vehicle from reaching the intended orbit. EOS-05 is the successor designed to fulfil that original objective.
For ISRO, the flight also marks a return to orbital launches after a roughly seven-month pause following setbacks in the PSLV programme. Officials note that the GSLV and PSLV use distinct propulsion systems, allowing preparation of this mission to proceed independently.
The launch forms part of ISRO’s wider schedule for the current period, which includes multiple satellite and launch-vehicle missions.
Once EOS-05 reaches its operational orbit and begins delivering data as planned, it will add a distinctive and complementary capability to India’s existing Earth-observation constellation, strengthening the country’s ability to respond rapidly to natural disasters and other dynamic situations on the ground.
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