ISRO Launches GSLV-F17
India’s space agency ISRO successfully launched its GSLV-F17 rocket before dawn on Friday, placing the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite into its intended transfer orbit.
Footage shows the 51.7-metre rocket lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 2.55 am local time.
Weighing 2,367 kilograms, EOS-05 is the heaviest satellite ever launched by a GSLV and India’s first imaging satellite designed to operate from geosynchronous orbit. It will provide frequent observations for disaster monitoring, agriculture and other Earth observation work.
Visitor Manish Gupta said watching the launch in India made the experience particularly special.
“Today, I’ve come to watch the launch because this is a rare opportunity. In India, this is the only place where you can experience it live. I realised just two days ago that passes were available, so I made arrangements to be here. While I’ve seen something similar at NASA, watching it in my own country is a very different feeling,” he said.
Heaviest GSLV Satellite Yet
He also praised India’s progress in space technology. “India is making significant strides in space technology.
This launch is not only the first GSLV satellite launched into orbit but also underscores our competitive advantage, as our launch costs are substantially lower compared to many other countries. With the private sector now entering the fray, a world of opportunities awaits us,” he concluded.
The launch marked ISRO’s first successful mission of 2026 after a seven-month gap between launches.
Article by Viory
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