Space
Isro's EOS-05 Satellite Reaches Final Orbit for Continuous Earth Monitoring
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has successfully placed its Earth Observation Satellite EOS-05 into a geosynchronous orbit, enabling uninterrupted surveillance of the Indian subcontinent from an altitude between 34,903 km and 35,884 km. The satellite was launched on September 4.
In a statement issued Monday night, Isro confirmed that the third and final orbit-raising maneuver, which increased the satellite's perigee, was completed successfully at 8:57 pm on September 7, 2026. The Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engine fired for 1,247 seconds during the procedure, resulting in an estimated orbit of 34,903 km by 35,884 km. Isro also confirmed that the satellite's health remains normal.
Over the coming days, EOS-05 will undergo a series of health and systems checks. Once completed, its imaging systems will be activated, allowing it to begin transmitting Earth observation images from its near-stationary position along the equator.
EOS-05 marks Isro's first Earth observation satellite deployed into a geosynchronous orbit. Rather than a circular geostationary orbit, the satellite has been positioned in a slightly elliptical geosynchronous path.
Isro chairman V Narayanan stated after the September 4 launch that once operational, EOS-05 would become India's first dedicated imaging satellite from geo orbit, delivering critical strategic data for the country. Alongside its role in weather forecasting, the satellite is also expected to support the Indian Navy's imaging needs for strategic purposes.
EOS-05 was launched aboard Isro's GSLV F17 rocket, which carried the heaviest payload ever flown by a GSLV-class vehicle. The satellite was initially placed into a sub-geostationary transfer orbit with a perigee of 171 km and an apogee of 31,000 km. Subsequent orbit-raising maneuvers on September 5 and 6 adjusted its path to a more circular orbit with a 20,000 km perigee and a 35,786 km apogee.
An Isro scientist involved with the satellite program noted that different orbits serve different purposes, and geosynchronous orbit was specifically chosen for this mission. While geostationary orbit—a subset of geosynchronous orbit—is generally preferred for Earth observation because it keeps a satellite fixed over a single location for consistent imagery collection, EOS-05 has been designed to operate in its current geosynchronous configuration.