PM Modi Hails Successful GSLV-F17 Launch, Calls It a Proud Moment for India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the successful launch of the GSLV-F17 rocket carrying the EOS-05 Earth observation satellite, describing the achievement as a proud moment for the country.

The GSLV-F17 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 2:55 am on Friday. The mission successfully placed EOS-05 into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit, marking an important milestone for India’s space programme.

In a message posted on social media platform X, Modi praised ISRO’s scientists and engineers for the achievement. He said the successful mission reflected India’s growing capabilities, innovation and excellence in the space sector. The prime minister also highlighted the expanding partnership between ISRO and Indian industry, saying collaboration was giving greater strength and scale to the country’s space programme.

The EOS-05 satellite is designed to provide advanced Earth observation and imaging capabilities. Positioned at an altitude of nearly 36,000 km, it is expected to offer a continuous view of India and support a range of applications requiring detailed and frequent observations of the Earth’s surface.

The mission is particularly significant because EOS-05 is India’s first imaging satellite intended for operation from geosynchronous orbit. Its advanced imaging systems are capable of observations across visible, infrared, multispectral and hyperspectral bands. These capabilities are expected to strengthen India’s ability to monitor and analyse changes on the ground. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan expressed satisfaction with the mission, saying the satellite had been accurately injected into its intended orbit. Mission Director Thomas Kurian described the launch as an important achievement for the GSLV programme.

The GSLV-F17 is 51.7 metres tall and has a liftoff mass of around 420.5 tonnes. EOS-05 is also the heaviest satellite that the GSLV has placed into a geosynchronous transfer or sub-GTO orbit, according to mission officials. Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh also congratulated the ISRO team, calling the mission another major step forward for India’s space capabilities.