Bengaluru-based startup GalaxEye has successfully launched Mission Drishti, the world’s first OptoSAR satellite, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The satellite lifted off on May 3 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States, as part of the CAS500-2 rideshare mission. It is India’s largest privately developed Earth observation satellite so far.
Mission Drishti weighs about 190 kg. It combines two imaging technologies in one platform: multispectral optical imaging and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). This OptoSAR system can capture clear images both day and night, and in all weather conditions, including through clouds.
The fused data provides high-resolution Earth observation with about 1.8-metre resolution. It delivers ready-to-use information without needing extra processing from separate satellites.
Suvendu Ghatak, Co-founder and CEO of GalaxEye, said the launch marks a major step for the company. He noted that the satellite solves a long-standing problem by offering both clarity and reliability in one pass.
The satellite will support applications in defence, disaster management, agriculture, and infrastructure monitoring. GalaxEye plans to build a constellation of such satellites in the coming years.
GalaxEye was founded in 2021 by alumni of IIT Madras. The company focuses on advanced Earth observation technology. This launch strengthens India’s growing private space sector and shows progress in building complex satellites domestically. It also highlights growing cooperation between Indian startups and global launch providers like SpaceX.
