ISRO successfully launched the GSLV F-17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth Observation Satellite in the early hours of Friday. The mission lifted off at 2:55 am from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
After a flight of 18 minutes and 34 seconds, the three-stage vehicle completed its sequence and separated the satellite. EOS-05 was placed into an orbit about 36,000 km above Earth with an inclination of 19.8 degrees at around 3:14 am.
Designed for continuous Earth monitoring, EOS-05 can capture high-precision imagery of India’s terrain and transmit data to the ground in near real time. ISRO has nicknamed the satellite “Eye in the Sky.”
The satellite is expected to aid tracking of natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, cloudbursts and lightning, supporting early warning measures. It will also help collect key data related to agriculture, forests and water bodies.
The GSLV used for the mission stands 51.7 metres tall and weighs 420.5 tonnes. This was ISRO’s 19th GSLV launch, with a cryogenic engine powering the upper stage.
