EOS-05 Satellite: India’s New Eye in the Sky

Context

India’s first dedicated imaging satellite for geosynchronous orbit, EOS-05, was successfully launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with its GSLV-F17 launch vehicle.

Key Highlights

• The mission is important because, except for the optical mapping mission, most Earth observation satellites fly in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), while EOS-05 would fly at a higher altitude so it could cover a wide area over a long duration.
• The satellite is initially launched into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO) and subsequently, through further orbit-raising manoeuvres, will be inserted into its operational orbit.

What does Geosynchronous Orbit mean?

• The geosynchronous orbit is the orbit in which a satellite completes its revolution around the Earth in 24 hours, the same time it takes the Earth to rotate once.
• If a satellite has the proper orbit, it may seem stationary over a specific area of the Earth at about 35,786 km above the equator.
• Geosynchronous orbits are especially useful for continuous monitoring, communication applications, and meteorology.

Why is EOS-05 Important?

• EOS-05 is India’s first-ever imaging satellite from geosynchronous orbit, according to ISRO.
• A geosynchronous imaging satellite could continuously monitor the same wide area, whereas the LEO satellites move quickly over the surface of the Earth and revisit a specific area at regular intervals.
• This is a function that can be enhanced in the fields of weather monitoring, disaster management, agriculture, environmental observation and strategic surveillance.
• Continuous imagery may be of great value in the early stages of rapidly developing events like cyclones, floods, forest fires and other natural disasters.

GSLV-F17 and India’s Launch Capability

• The mission was performed by India’s 19th flight of its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
• The GSLV is meant for launching heavier satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit and related orbits and incorporates an indigenous cryogenic upper stage, which is significant in the development of launch-vehicle technology in India.
• EOS-05 was placed in a transfer orbit and subsequently, its own power will be used to incrementally increase the satellite’s orbit.

Significance for India

• The mission enhances the indigenous Earth observation ecosystem and broadens the spectrum of the available orbital platforms for national applications in India.
• Continuous satellite observation can enhance disaster preparedness and early warning, especially for regions that depend on weather.
• Agricultural monitoring can be used for agricultural condition assessment and environmental and land use change assessment.
• Another aspect of high-altitude continuous observation is for border monitoring and national security, though civilian uses still play a significant part.
• The convergence of space technology, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and geospatial data and governance is showcased in the mission.

Challenges

• The technology of imaging from geosynchronous orbit imposes a much greater distance from the Earth than LEO, which means that there are spatial resolution issues, imaging issues and data processing issues.
• There is also a significant amount of ground infrastructure needed for continued monitoring to receive, process, store and disseminate data.
• Satellite effective utilization will thus rely not only upon the satellite itself, but also on the integration of the satellite data with meteorological, agricultural, disaster management and geospatial systems.

Way Ahead

• India should build synergies amongst satellite images and AI, GIS, weather models and real-time decision support systems.
• Improved use of Earth observation datasets can help build disaster resilience, monitor the climate, manage water and plan agriculture.
• India needs to heighten the interaction among government agencies, research institutes, academia and private space-sector companies as well.
• Advanced imaging technologies and high-capacity data-processing infrastructure will be critical to maximising the benefits of future Earth observation missions.

Conclusion

• The EOS-05 mission will be a significant addition to India’s space-based Earth observation portfolio.
• The satellite can augment the country’s present LEO-based remote sensing constellation as it would allow for continuous observation from geosynchronous orbit.
• Hence, the mission emphasizes the potential of space technology as a more and more powerful governance, disaster risk reduction, environmental management and national security tool.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains PYQ

Q. What is the main task of India’s third mood mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the ‘Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre which contributed to the successful launch from Sriharikota. (2023)

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