According to the Hindustan Times, at 2:55 AM on September 4th, Indian Standard Time (5:25 AM Beijing Time), the GSLV-F17 carrier rocket was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India. The Indian Earth Observation Satellite EOS-05 was sent into orbit as scheduled. This is India’s first successful launch of a geosynchronous orbit observation satellite.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) stated that the EOS-05 satellite weighs approximately 2.3 tons, has an orbital inclination of 19.28 degrees, and is designed to last for 7 years. However, they are confident that it will operate for 9 years, with a maximum resolution of 42 meters. Reports indicate that the satellite can provide assistance in fields such as agriculture, environment, and disaster management, and it offers real-time observation images.
The ISRO chairman said that according to the data transmitted by EOS-05, all equipment on the satellite is functioning properly. The solar panels have been deployed, and in the next few days, the satellite's orbit will be raised to geosynchronous orbit.
The geosynchronous orbit is 36,000 kilometers above the ground. Satellites operate in this orbit, remaining relatively stationary relative to the ground, allowing them to "hover" over specific areas. Therefore, many meteorological satellites, communication satellites, and observation satellites are deployed in geosynchronous orbits.
Previously, India attempted to launch the Geosynchronous Orbit Observation Satellite EOS-03 in August 2021. However, a malfunction occurred during the launch of the third stage of the GSLV carrier rocket, resulting in the failure of the EOS-03 satellite launch.
