ISRO launches India's 1st Earth-imaging satellite in geosynchronous orbit

ISRO achieved a milestone by successfully launching its GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2:55 a.m. IST on September 4, 2026, lifting off through stormy weather. The satellite was placed into geosynchronous orbit, a first for India, allowing it to continuously monitor the same region of the country for disaster management, agriculture, and defense applications. The launch comes as ISRO works to rebuild confidence following back-to-back failures of its PSLV rocket, its usual commercial workhorse — the PSLV-C61 mission in May 2025 and the PSLV-C62 mission in January 2026, both failed during the rocket's third stage, losing satellites for India and international partners including Brazil, Nepal and Spain. Tuesday's GSLV-F17 success, using a different rocket, marks a critical step in reinforcing confidence in India's broader launch program. Video Credit: ISRO