Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the successful launch of the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying EOS-05, calling the mission a proud moment for India.

The rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 2:55 am IST and successfully placed the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.

PM Modi Praises India’s Space Sector

PM Modi said the successful mission reflected India's growing capabilities in space technology, along with continued innovation and excellence.

He also highlighted the expanding partnership between ISRO and Indian industry, saying greater cooperation is helping strengthen India's space programme and expand capabilities across the country's wider space ecosystem.

EOS-05 Strengthens Earth Observation

EOS-05 is designed to strengthen India's Earth observation capabilities. The satellite is expected to provide a continuous view of India from an altitude of nearly 36,000 kilometres.

The advanced satellite is equipped to support imaging across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands, opening opportunities for a range of Earth observation and monitoring applications.

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Major Milestone for GSLV Programme

Mission Director Thomas Kurian described the launch as an important milestone for India's GSLV programme.

The mission marked the 19th flight of the GSLV and involved a specially configured Earth observation satellite capable of providing near-real-time imaging.

EOS-05 was also described as the heaviest satellite placed by the GSLV into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, or sub-GTO.

ISRO Chairman Welcomes Successful Mission

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan expressed satisfaction with the mission and said the launch vehicle precisely injected the advanced Earth observation satellite into its intended orbit.

The successful launch followed years of preparation involving scientists, engineers and several teams working on the mission.

India Expands Space Capabilities

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh also welcomed the successful launch, saying the mission demonstrated the continued progress of India's space programme.

The GSLV-F17 stands 51.7 metres tall and has a liftoff mass of approximately 420.5 tonnes, making it one of India's major operational launch vehicles.

The successful EOS-05 mission is expected to further strengthen India's ability to monitor and observe the Earth while supporting the country's ambitions as a major global space power.