Indian startup launches world’s first OptoSAR satellite; PM, Isro praise ‘Drishti’ mission
NEW DELHI: New Delhi: Indian space-tech startup GalaxEye on Sunday announced the launch of Drishti — a made-in-India satellite that combines radar and optical sensors in real time to provide high- resolution images of the same place at the same time irrespective of weather conditions.Congratulating the entire team of GalaxEye, PM Narendra Modi said in a post on X, “Mission Drishti by GalaxEye marks a major achievement in our space journey. The successful launch of the world’s first OptoSAR satellite and the largest privately-built satellite in India is a testament to our youth’s passion for innovation and nation-building.” Isro, which supported the mission, also congratulated the team. In a post on X, Isro said, “A significant milestone in India’s space journey, with world’s first OptoSAR satellite and India’s largest privately built satellite, advancing all-weather earth observation capabilities.”The Bengaluru-based startup said its 190 kg spacecraft, the “world’s first OptoSAR satellite”, was placed in orbit aboard SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US. It was one of the 45 payloads on the CAS500-2 mission. The mission has been widely seen as a breakthrough for India’s growing private space sector, with the satellite designed to provide all-weather, day-and-night earth imaging by combining optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technologies.
In a statement, Suyash Singh, founder and CEO of GalaxEye, said, “With the satellite (Mission Drishti) now successfully in orbit, our immediate focus is on completing its commissioning. As we move through this phase, we are already witnessing strong global interest in the differentiated datasets enabled by our OptoSAR payload.”GalaxEye, founded in 2021 by IIT Madras alumni, has emerged as a key player in India’s new space economy, with Mission Drishti seen as a validation of its indigenous OptoSAR technology and commercial Earth observation capabilities.Space experts said the success of Mission Drishti reflects India’s evolving space ecosystem, where private startups are increasingly working alongside Isro, space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and their commercial wing NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). On behalf of the space industry, Lt. Gen AK Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA) said, “The successful launch of GalaxEye’s first satellite under Mission Drishti, also the largest-ever built by a private Indian company, marks a pivotal shift in India’s approach to Earth observation. It serves as a definitive proof-of-concept for India’s private space sector reforms and signals a transition from small-scale testing to sovereign, all-weather surveillance capabilities critical for national security and disaster response.“With this launch, India’s private space sector has taken another giant step towards global competitiveness, as Mission Drishti opens new possibilities for defence, disaster management, agriculture, and infrastructure monitoring through advanced satellite imaging.
