ISRO Launches EOS-05, India's First Geosynchronous Imaging Satellite, Ending Eight-Month Launch Hiatus

ISRO successfully launched the 2,367-kg EOS-05 satellite into sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit on September 4, 2026, using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F17), marking India's first dedicated imaging satellite designed to operate from geosynchronous orbit at approximately 36,000 km altitude. The launch ended an eight-month hiatus for ISRO after two consecutive PSLV failures: PSLV-C62 in January 2026 and PSLV-C61 in May 2025, both involving third-stage anomalies. Geosynchronous orbit satellites remain stationary relative to Earth's surface, enabling continuous coverage of the same region, unlike Low Earth Orbit satellites which pass overhead for only minutes at a time. EOS-05 provides near-real-time, persistent imagery of a fixed area, which is strategically valuable for disaster response, border surveillance, crop monitoring and weather forecasting. The mission represents a significant advance in India's earth-observation capability and signals ISRO's return to operational reliability after recent setbacks.