ISRO Gears Up for Critical Gisat-1A Launch Following Past Setbacks
After a delay of over four and a half years due to a cryogenic upper stage anomaly that doomed the GSLV-F10 mission and cost India the Geo Imaging Satellite (Gisat-1 or EOS-03), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now poised to launch its replacement, Gisat-1A (EOS-05). This strategic move aims to restore and enhance the country's Earth observation capabilities, with the satellite designed to deliver near real-time images of large regions at frequent intervals.
Strategic and Civilian Applications of Gisat-1A
The 2.2-tonne class Gisat-1A satellite holds significant potential for both military and civilian purposes. While it is primarily a civilian satellite, its ability to provide continuous, cloud-free observation of the Indian subcontinent will aid the armed forces in planning operations. Beyond defense, the satellite will offer spectral signatures crucial for various sectors, including agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow and glacier monitoring, and oceanography.
Readiness and Upcoming Launch Details
Multiple sources have confirmed that Gisat-1A has completed key milestones at the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru and is ready for transfer to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, possibly within this week. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan stated, "We are reviewing the satellite", indicating that final authorisation is pending after his review before the move to the spaceport.
ISRO has implemented stringent reviews for this mission, especially in light of recent setbacks, including two consecutive PSLV failures that resulted in the loss of strategic satellites: PSLV-C61 cost EOS-09 (Risat-1B), a radar imaging satellite vital for surveillance, and PSLV-C62 cost DRDO's Anvesha (EOS-N1). The agency has already issued a Notice To Airmen (Notam) with a launch window from February 20 to March 5 for the GSLV-F17 mission, which will carry Gisat-1A. However, this window is indicative and subject to change.
Historical Context and Previous Launch Attempts
The GSLV last successfully launched the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) satellite on July 30, 2025, as part of the GSLV-F16 mission. Since the August 12, 2021 CUS anomaly that caused the GSLV-F10 failure and loss of Gisat-1, GSLV vehicles have completed four successful missions. Prior to that failure, ISRO had canceled the Gisat-1 launch twice: initially scheduled for March 5, 2020, but scrubbed minutes before countdown on March 4, 2020, and then planned for the first quarter of 2021, which was postponed due to a minor voltage issue. The eventual launch on August 12, 2021, saw normal performance in the first and second stages, but CUS ignition failed due to a technical anomaly.
This upcoming launch represents a critical step for ISRO in overcoming past challenges and advancing India's space-based observation and surveillance infrastructure.
