Guwahati: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday successfully launched the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F17), placing the 2,367-kg spacecraft into its intended Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.

The launch took place at 2.55 a.m. from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The GSLV placed EOS-05 in orbit about 18 minutes after liftoff.

Once operational, EOS-05 will become India’s first dedicated imaging satellite operating from geosynchronous orbit, about 36,000 km above Earth. The satellite is designed to provide real-time imagery and support applications in agriculture, environmental monitoring and disaster management.

“I am very happy to announce that the GSLV-F17 vehicle has successfully and precisely injected the advanced Earth observation satellite EOS-05 in the intended and required orbit,” ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said.

The mission marked the 107th launch from Sriharikota and the 19th flight of the GSLV. Narayanan said the vehicle’s payload capacity had increased progressively from 1,536 kg on its first GSLV-D1 mission to the 2,367-kg EOS-05 carried on Thursday’s flight.

According to ISRO, the satellite’s valves were functioning normally, its solar panel had deployed and its overall health was satisfactory after separation. The agency will subsequently raise the satellite’s orbit and place it in the required geostationary platform.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the launch, describing EOS-05 as India’s first-ever imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit. He also highlighted the growing partnership between ISRO and Indian industry in expanding the country’s space capabilities.

Minister of State in the Department of Space Jitendra Singh said EOS-05 would enable imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands.

The launch is significant for ISRO after the failure of the PSLV-C62 mission carrying the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite on January 12, 2026. The agency had not undertaken another launch since then, following the back-to-back failures of PSLV-C62 and PSLV-C61 on May 18, 2025.

Although seven missions, including GSLV-F17/EOS-05, had been scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, ISRO did not conduct any satellite launches during the period.

The successful mission also follows the failure of the GSLV-F10/EOS-03 mission in August 2021. The vehicle’s first and second stages performed normally, but the cryogenic upper-stage engine failed to ignite because of a technical anomaly, resulting in the loss of the mission. EOS-05 replaces the Earth observation satellite that was intended to be deployed under that mission.