India awaits its milestone achievement with the ISRO’s 101st Space Mission of India’s space program. The EOS-09 satellite will be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) using the PSLV-C61 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on 5:59 AM on 18 May 2025. The mission will add to India’s Earth observation for application in agriculture, disaster management, urban planning, and national security.
EOS-09, or RISAT-1B, is a C-band synthetic aperture radar imaging Earth Observation Satellite. The system provides high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface in all weather and day and night conditions. The satellite has a mass of around 1,696 kg with mission life of five years.
PSLV-C61 mission will:
Place EOS-09 in a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO) in order to provide repeat imaging of the Earth.
Upgrade India’s remote sensing ability by adding to existing satellites such as Resourcesat, Cartosat, and RISAT-2B.
Augment big applications such as crop monitoring, forest monitoring, disaster relief, and national security.
Launch Details
Countdown for the launch of 22 hours started at 7:59 AM on May 17, 2025. PSLV-C61 will insert the EOS-09 into the desired orbit in approximately 17 minutes. After separation, Orbit Change Thrusters (OCTs) would provide precise positioning of the satellite.
Sustainability Measures
ISRO has included deorbiting fuel in EOS-09 to enable safe disposal after its working life. This step is part of best space practices, deterring space debris and enabling sustainable usage of a satellite.
PSLV-C61 mission of EOS-09 is yet another milestone for ISRO that further asserts India’s leadership in space earth observation. As the nation is ramping up satellite prowess, the mission will be in major ways contributing to scientific research, environmental monitoring, and security.
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