Why EOS-05 matters: Isro breaks Gisat jinx, returns to flight & gets 1st success of 2026
ISRO successfully launched the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite, marking a significant recovery for the agency after a series of mission delays and failures. The launch provides India with enhanced geostationary imaging capabilities, overcoming previous technical hurdles with the GSLV program.
Why it matters
The success restores confidence in India's space program and provides critical Earth observation data for national security and environmental monitoring.
BENGALURU: When Isro’s GSLV-F17 lifted off from Sriharikota early Friday and successfully placed Gisat-1A or EOS-05 into its intended orbit, the mission did more than add another Earth observation satellite to India’s growing fleet.It ended a difficult chapter for a programme that had been repeatedly delayed and then lost in space, gave Isro its first successful launch of 2026, and put the agency back on the launch pad after its previous mission, PSLV-C62, failed on Jan 12.For Isro, the successful launch of Gisat-1A is therefore both a technical and psychological milestone.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in