GSLV-F17 launches EOS-05 successfully, places satellite in orbit

SRIHARIKOTA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday successfully launched its GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite, marking the space agency’s second successful rocket launch of the year. The 2,367-kg satellite was injected into its designated sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (sub-GTO) shortly after the rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.55 am.

The launch came despite heavy rain in the Sriharikota region at the time of liftoff. With all the rocket’s systems, telemetry and control parameters found to be normal and the automated launch sequence functioning as expected, the mission director Thomas Kurian gave the final clearance for the launch at the scheduled time.

The GSLV-F17 mission is particularly significant as EOS-05 is intended to restore the Earth observation capability lost with the failure of the GSLV-F10 mission in August 2021. The earlier mission carried EOS-01, also known as GISAT-1, but the satellite was lost after the cryogenic upper stage of the launch vehicle failed to ignite.

The first and second stages of GSLV-F10 had performed normally after liftoff. However, a technical anomaly in the cryogenic upper stage had resulted in the failure of the third stage engine to ignite, eventually leading to the loss of EOS-03.

Nearly five years later, ISRO has successfully placed EOS-05 in orbit, paving the way for the restoration of continuous Earth observation capabilities.

EOS-05 is a civilian and strategic Earth observation satellite designed to provide frequent and near real time imagery of large areas of the country. It is equipped to capture images in multispectral and hyperspectral bands under cloud free conditions.

According to the mission objectives, the satellite is expected to provide images of selected regions at frequent intervals, with observations of some areas possible every five minutes. It is also designed to cover the entire Indian landmass at intervals of around 30 minutes, with a spatial resolution of approximately 42 metres.

The data generated by the satellite is expected to support a wide range of applications, including weather monitoring, disaster management, agriculture, forestry and surveillance. Its capabilities will be useful for monitoring floods, cyclones, forest fires and other natural disasters, besides supporting strategic and national security requirements.

Speaking to reporters after the successful launch, ISRO chairman V Narayanan described the mission as a “perfect launch” and said the satellite had been placed in the intended orbit with better than expected performance.

He said EOS-05 had been placed in an orbit ranging from 171 km to 31,026 km and that the mission had achieved around 1,000 km more orbital apogee than initially expected. The additional orbital advantage would allow the satellite to observe a larger area, he said.

Narayanan also said EOS-05 was the heaviest satellite launched by a GSLV-class rocket so far, weighing 2,367 kg. He described the successful mission as a major achievement for ISRO.

He further said the EOS-05 mission marked the first EOS satellite to be placed in a geosynchronous orbit, highlighting the importance of the mission for India’s Earth observation programme.

The ISRO chairman further said the upcoming NVS-03 navigation satellite mission would be another important mission for the space agency. He added that six more satellite launches had been planned during the current financial year.

Meanwhile, Narayanan also clarified the status of the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport in Tamil Nadu. Responding to questions about private participation in the facility, he said the spaceport was being established and would be owned and operated by the government.

Only the operation and maintenance activities of the facility had been entrusted to private players, he said. ISRO scientists and scientists from private space companies would work together at the facility.

ISRO is also intensifying preparations to conduct the first rocket launch from the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport by March 2027, Narayanan said.

The successful GSLV-F17 mission therefore comes as an important milestone for India’s space programme, combining the restoration of a key Earth observation capability with the continued expansion of the country’s launch and satellite infrastructure.