- 6 weeks ago
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-05 aboard the GSLV F17 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
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00:00Hello and welcome to a special edition of Battle Cry. I'm Gaurav Savant.
00:04The Indian Space Research Organization has successfully launched the EOS05 or the Earth Observation Satellite.
00:13India's first dedicated imaging satellite designed to work from the geosynchronous orbit in space.
00:21So the satellite was launched on GSLV F-17 from Sriharikota at 2.55am.
00:2718 minutes later, the satellite was placed in the intended subgeosynchronous transit orbit.
00:35What is equally remarkable, if not more, is the fact that this is the heaviest payload.
00:42Approximately 2,367 kilograms that the GSLV has carried.
00:49So this EOS05 is truly different. This is our third eye in space.
00:55Most Indian Earth Observation Satellites, they fly low Earth orbits.
01:00They pass over a given place periodically.
01:03And then more information, if you need more information, if you need more pictures,
01:07you have to wait for the next pass of that satellite or for the LEOs.
01:12The EOS05, now this is very different.
01:15When it reaches its operational slot, and that's almost 36,000 kilometers away,
01:21it will stay aligned with the Earth's rotation.
01:24And then it will enable the end user.
01:28Whether it's for environment or agriculture or for security forces,
01:33it will enable the end users to get a near constant view of the same region, of the same area.
01:40The Indian landmass and the adjoining seas.
01:43So it's like a camera on the nation at all times.
01:48As we report what's been happening in Tibet and Nepal,
01:52you know how precarious the situation was.
01:55As these two recover from the Glacier Lake outburst flood or Glof situation,
02:02the launch of the EOF05 has perhaps come at the best possible moment.
02:07Why? Because if there is a similar lake formation anywhere,
02:13and remember we live in a very precarious zone,
02:16then that would be immediately visible on these satellite images.
02:20But that's not all.
02:21This third eye in space can be used for disaster management.
02:25Cyclone over Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
02:28So it can look at the Bay of Bengal, it can look at the Arabian Sea.
02:31It can look at the flood situation that's developing.
02:34It can look at cloudbursts that's happening.
02:35Or forest fires, how rapidly is the forest fire spreading?
02:40Agriculture, you know, drought over a region.
02:43So how extensive is the snow cover?
02:46Is it receding?
02:47Glaciers, water bodies, environmental changes.
02:50There is a continuous situational awareness over land,
02:54and of course, the maritime domain.
02:56The chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation,
03:00Dr. Veen Narayanan,
03:02he described this as providing even strategic data,
03:06while stressing,
03:07this is for safety and security of citizens.
03:09It is not a spy satellite.
03:11In practice, it has a dual use.
03:13So it is a dual use asset,
03:15civilian disaster and resource monitoring,
03:18plus persistent observation,
03:19including of our troubled borders,
03:22whether it's the line of control
03:24or the line of actual control
03:26and the nearby seas all around.
03:29So this is a very significant military benefit
03:31that we can derive from this satellite.
03:34We'll have much more on this,
03:36but first, we get to this report.
03:44September 4, 2.55 a.m.,
03:48while much of the country was asleep,
03:50ISRO was scripting another milestone for India.
03:534, 3, 2, 1, 0.
03:59All four L-40s engines generating nominal thrust,
04:02S-139 motor ignited.
04:04We have a look of a successful launch.
04:08A phenomenal spectacle.
04:10Lifting off from the second launch pad
04:12at Shri Harikota,
04:13GSLV F-17 began the 19th flight
04:16of India's geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle.
04:28Carrying the country's
04:30advanced earth observation satellite EOS-05.
04:34S-139 booster and the strap-ons.
04:36Since 18 minutes in,
04:38the GSLV F-17 precisely injected EOS-05
04:42into its intended subgeosynchronous transfer orbit.
04:47The EOS-05 is India's first ever dedicated
04:51imaging satellite designed to operate
04:54from a geosynchronous orbit,
04:56giving the country a new capability
04:58for continuous observation.
05:01At around 36,000 kilometers above earth,
05:05EOS-05 will be able to keep a continuous watch
05:08over the same broad region.
05:10Its imagery will support weather monitoring,
05:13agriculture, land and water resource assessment
05:16and disaster management.
05:18Agencies can get valuable observations
05:21for tracking cyclones, floods, forest fires
05:24and other rapidly changing events.
05:27It can also add to India's strategic observation capabilities
05:31by enabling persistent monitoring
05:33of areas of interest.
05:37As he celebrated the successful launch,
05:41Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan
05:43said the satellite was in perfect health.
05:46I am very happy to announce that
05:48GSLV F-17 vehicle has successfully
05:52and precisely injected
05:54the advanced earth observation satellite 05,
05:57the geo-imaging star satellite
06:00in the intended and required orbit.
06:02The achievement was also welcomed
06:06across the political spectrum.
06:08Prime Minister Narendra Modi
06:10congratulated ISRO via an ex-post,
06:13calling the mission an outstanding achievement
06:15and a proud moment for the nation.
06:18Congress President Malik Arjun Karge
06:20also congratulated the ISRO team.
06:23He said the Congress party
06:24has always remained deeply committed
06:26to scientific temper and space research.
06:29As the viewers watching us now know,
06:32EOS-05 separated.
06:34The success of GSLV F-17
06:36carries the weight of a previous setback.
06:39In August 2021,
06:41ISRO's GISAT-1 mission
06:43carrying EOS-03 failed
06:45to place the satellite into orbit.
06:48Five years later,
06:49GSLV F-17 has successfully carried EOS-05
06:53into its intended transfer orbit.
06:56With a permanent eye now fixed over the region,
06:59India has secured a vantage point
07:01that changes the game for both disaster management
07:04and border surveillance.
07:05The GSLV F-17 has used EOS-05 satellites.
07:10So India has been investing in low-Earth orbiting satellites
07:14but lacked a dedicated geo-imager.
07:16And this EOS-05 closes that gap.
07:19Persistent coverage of western and northern borders surrounding seas,
07:23it's a different strength from polar orbiting radar or optical satellites.
07:27It's also a launch vehicle milestone.
07:30Why?
07:30The GSLV F-17 is the 19th GSLV flight
07:34and the 107th launched from Sea Harikota.
07:37The naughty boy behaved.
07:40So let's decode these developments.
07:42It has far-reaching implications.
07:43Joining me on this special broadcast
07:45is Lieutenant General PJS Pannu.
07:47He raised the Defense Space Agency.
07:49He's the author of Taramandal Sangram,
07:52The Ultimate High Ground.
07:53Sir, welcome.
07:54Also with me is Sandeep Unnithan,
07:56senior journalist and colleague.
07:58Jail Pannu,
07:59your assessment of the launch of EOS-05
08:01and the fact that everyone heaved a sigh of relief,
08:05the naughty boy behaved
08:06and was disciplined this time.
08:10Gaurav, firstly,
08:12heartiest congratulations to us,
08:14to India, to ISRO.
08:15And I think today's launch
08:18has been a fantastic launch.
08:21The first thing is
08:22that it was a GSLV F-17.
08:26The way it took off,
08:28it has got a very complicated
08:29you know, first stage, second stage
08:31and third stage arrangements,
08:33which takes the satellite
08:35into the geosynchronous transfer orbit, GTO.
08:39And after that,
08:40the satellite itself,
08:41which is EOS-05,
08:43is supposed to propel itself
08:45and take it into the intended orbit
08:47of the geosynchronous orbit,
08:50which is at 36,000 feet,
08:53so 36,000 kilometers.
08:55But what happens there is
08:57it moves at the speed of the Earth.
09:01The actual movement of the satellite
09:03will be something like
09:0411,000 kilometers per hour.
09:06That is the approximate speed
09:09that the satellite would have.
09:11It means at that speed,
09:12it will go along
09:13with the rotation of the Earth.
09:16A lot of people have a confusion
09:19between the geostationary
09:20and geosynchronous.
09:23Let me explain that geostationary
09:25is always right on top of the orbit,
09:28which is at zero degree,
09:31which means you are on the equator.
09:33At equator,
09:35you are actually moving along
09:37at the same point all the time,
09:40so you are stationary.
09:42The moment you move it a little north
09:45as it is that you are not
09:50all the time fixed,
09:51but you are moving
09:52something like in the figure of eight,
09:54but generally in the same area,
09:56covering a larger swath of the Earth.
09:59So with this kind of
10:01a geosynchronous satellite,
10:03it means it is moving with the speed,
10:05but not staying at the same point
10:08of the Earth.
10:09So speed is the same
10:10as the rotation of the Earth,
10:12but the location is not the same.
10:14The figure of eight
10:15gives it a larger area of coverage,
10:17and also it makes sure
10:20that you are getting
10:21a persistent surveillance.
10:23Now, persistent surveillance
10:25has been a very big issue
10:26because most of the satellites
10:28and earlier EOS satellites
10:29and most of the satellites
10:31in the world
10:31which are giving Earth observation
10:33are largely in the LEO.
10:36The low Earth is anything
10:38between 600 kilometers
10:40to about 1,000 kilometers.
10:42That is how the LEO works.
10:44But what happens is
10:46that it moves so far,
10:48say it moves at about something
10:49like 26,000 to 27,000 kilometers
10:52an hour speed,
10:53and it moves over the area
10:55so quickly
10:56that you need a number of satellites
10:58to cover the same area
10:59for persistent surveillance.
11:00But here what has happened is
11:03that one place
11:05will have an observation
11:07which is about 42%
11:09of the Earth can be covered
11:11from the single point
11:12of movement.
11:14That is a figure of eight.
11:15So, therefore,
11:16there is no need
11:18of, you know,
11:20revisit.
11:21My portfolio's.
11:22Yeah, so revisit.
11:23But, sir, explain this to us, sir.
11:24This should have happened
11:25almost half a decade ago.
11:27This should have happened,
11:28you know, in 2021.
11:292021, the GISAT 1, EOS 03,
11:33they were meant to create
11:34this exact capability.
11:36The 2020 attempt scrub,
11:372021, didn't succeed.
11:40So, has that five-year jinx
11:41ended with this launch?
11:44I think the GSLV F10
11:47was unsuccessful in 2021
11:49when EOS 03 was launched.
11:52Well, so we lost it.
11:54If we had it,
11:55it would have given us
11:56that kind of advantage.
11:58Then, of course,
11:59you know,
12:00we have had a number
12:02of EOS satellites
12:03who again became
12:04non-operational,
12:05but they were on
12:05the low-Earth orbit.
12:06They were also unsuccessful.
12:08So, after EOS 03,
12:11I think a lot
12:13of rectification
12:13has happened
12:14and also the payloads
12:16have improved.
12:17The resolutions are better
12:18and also the GSLV
12:21has been again
12:21put back to work.
12:24You would know that
12:25in 2025 May and 2026,
12:30the two PSLVs,
12:31workhorses,
12:32C61 and C62,
12:34in the third stage,
12:35they failed.
12:36And therefore,
12:37it's extremely careful
12:39not to have
12:40the next launch
12:41have any glitch
12:42of any kind.
12:44So, fortunately,
12:45the entire process
12:45has gone off
12:46very smoothly.
12:47All the three stages
12:49have worked exceedingly well.
12:51The satellite
12:52is in the GTO
12:53and I'm very sure
12:54very soon
12:55we would know
12:56that the EOS 05
12:58has been deployed
12:59in its orbit
12:59and it will start
13:01giving its resolution,
13:02required resolution
13:03and observation
13:04to our ground stations
13:05very soon.
13:06We are waiting
13:06for that news also
13:07to come in.
13:08Oh, we are.
13:08And we will be
13:10breaking it here
13:10on India today.
13:11But Sandeep,
13:11tremendous achievement
13:13after setbacks
13:14and just at the right time
13:15when you are looking
13:16at GLOFs
13:17or Glacial Lake
13:18outburst floods
13:19and its devastating impact
13:20in Tibet and Nepal,
13:22an eye in space,
13:24the third eye in space,
13:25constantly looking
13:26at our entire landmass
13:28and seas
13:29is such a shot
13:30in the arm.
13:31Absolutely, Gaurav.
13:32You know,
13:32as you so pithily put it,
13:34it's Jai Jawan,
13:35Jai Kisan.
13:35It's a space
13:37imaging capability
13:38with tremendous
13:39dual-use capacities.
13:41Of course,
13:41it can't be used
13:42as a spy satellite
13:43because, you know,
13:44to understand
13:45this is more
13:46like a macro.
13:47This satellite
13:48will give you
13:48the macro picture.
13:49For the micro picture,
13:50you will still need
13:51the low-Earth orbit
13:52spy satellites
13:53which will give you
13:54sub-meter resolution.
13:55So the resolution
13:56from this satellite
13:57would basically be
13:58over 40 meters.
14:00It gives you
14:00broad area coverage
14:01but it's also useful
14:03for you to track
14:04large troop movements,
14:06those kind of things.
14:07And, you know,
14:07given the fact
14:08that we have
14:08two dictatorships
14:09on our borders,
14:09we have unsettled
14:10boundaries with
14:11two dictatorships,
14:12we need to be
14:12on our watch.
14:13But, you know,
14:14coming to this point
14:14of Glacial Lake floods
14:17and, you know,
14:18GLOF kind of situations,
14:21we need this kind
14:22of capability.
14:22We should have had it
14:23yesterday, as you said,
14:24but now that we have it,
14:26it's a tremendous
14:27opportunity for us
14:28to be able to share
14:29the kind of data
14:29that we will get
14:30from the satellite
14:31with our friendly
14:32countries like Nepal.
14:33Nepal, which is,
14:34you know,
14:34going through one of
14:35its most harrowing
14:36natural disasters
14:38as we speak.
14:39We need to forewarn Nepal.
14:42This is a capability
14:42that India should most,
14:44you know,
14:45like being the big brother,
14:46we should share it
14:47with, you know,
14:47friendly neighbors
14:48like Nepal.
14:49And there is a fit case
14:50for this like we've had
14:52in the past.
14:53We had a SARC satellite
14:55the data from this
14:56should be given
14:57to countries,
14:58friendly countries
14:58like Nepal
14:59whenever they need it,
15:00especially in,
15:01you know,
15:01given the fact
15:02that they are in
15:02such ecologically
15:04sensitive...
15:05You know,
15:05whether it's cyclone,
15:07absolutely.
15:07You know,
15:08whether Nepal wants it
15:09or Bangladesh wants it
15:10or Sri Lanka wants it,
15:11any friend who wants,
15:12you know,
15:13we should share
15:13that information.
15:14But General,
15:15Sandeep raised
15:16a very pertinent point
15:17on military use.
15:19And sir,
15:19you've served
15:20both along the LC
15:21and the LAC
15:22and military operations
15:24and DG Infantry
15:25and Defense Space Agency.
15:27So tell me this,
15:28militarily,
15:29is this a major
15:30force multiplier?
15:31If we had it
15:32during Opsindoor,
15:33would it have been
15:34a force multiplier
15:35for military commanders
15:36on ground?
15:38Every time they wanted
15:39to see what's happening
15:39on the other side
15:40of the hill,
15:41EOS-05 gives you
15:42that advantage
15:43over our northern
15:44and western adversaries?
15:47Gaurav,
15:48for military purposes
15:50of surveillance,
15:51we normally call it
15:52ISR.
15:54That is
15:55Intelligence,
15:56Surveillance,
15:56and Reconnaissance.
15:58Actually,
15:59the sequence
15:59is the opposite.
16:01First,
16:01you do the reconnaissance.
16:02It means you are
16:04picking up initial
16:05telltale marks
16:06of if there are
16:07any roads being built,
16:08tracks being built,
16:09or if there are
16:10any bridges
16:10which are being improved
16:11or even built.
16:12So the military
16:13infrastructure,
16:14where large sheds
16:16are coming up,
16:17you suspect that
16:18if any dumping
16:19is happening.
16:20So initially,
16:22when you do
16:23the surveillance,
16:25you need a very,
16:26very large area coverage.
16:28And slowly,
16:29then after that,
16:31you start looking
16:33at the points
16:35at which you find
16:36that your initial
16:38reconnaissance is asking
16:39you to keep an eye
16:39at a certain place.
16:40So here,
16:42there is going
16:43to be
16:43some kind
16:44of a mesh
16:45of intelligence
16:46between the
16:47geosynchronous,
16:49that is
16:50from the
16:51observation,
16:52which is very large,
16:53as Sadeep was talking
16:54about,
16:55say,
16:55even 40-meter
16:56resolution,
16:57which is also
16:58very good
16:59for the oceans.
17:01Naval operations,
17:02this is very important.
17:04You can even
17:04pick up
17:06establishments
17:06which are
17:07quasi-military,
17:08railway siding,
17:10for example.
17:11You can pick up
17:12large runways
17:13which are coming up,
17:14which are also
17:15quasi-military,
17:16which can be
17:17for dual use.
17:18And then you start
17:19focusing onto it
17:20with the low Earth
17:22orbit and better
17:23resolution.
17:24You can start
17:24picking up.
17:25So you don't have
17:26to really waste
17:27your LEO
17:28on doing
17:29a larger reconnaissance
17:31and looking
17:32at surveillance.
17:33But then when it
17:34comes to intelligence,
17:35you have to really
17:36look down
17:37very, very cautiously
17:38on better
17:39resolutions.
17:40So therefore,
17:41it is going to be
17:42a tandem
17:43between the
17:44GEO,
17:46LEO and
17:47SAC-GEO,
17:48which also gives
17:49you the exact
17:50coordinates where
17:51it is because
17:51we also know
17:52the positioning
17:53where exactly
17:54it is
17:55and navigation
17:57and timing.
17:58So P and T,
18:00the Earth
18:01observation
18:02and communication,
18:03all this triad
18:04then comes into
18:04play.
18:05And Sandeep,
18:07it is outstanding
18:08the way you
18:09explain it in
18:09simple terms
18:10for the benefit
18:11of some of our
18:12younger viewers.
18:13It is like having
18:14a constant CCTV
18:16camera up in
18:17space.
18:18So you can look
18:18at Pakistan,
18:19you can look at
18:20Tibet at the
18:20same time,
18:21you can look at
18:21the entire Indian
18:22Ocean region.
18:23So if the enemy
18:24is forming up,
18:25his aircraft,
18:26his battleships,
18:27his missiles,
18:28every movement
18:28will be visible.
18:30Yes, absolutely
18:31Gaurav.
18:31And you know,
18:31you get the kind
18:32of image every
18:33half hour
18:34and you know,
18:35you can do a
18:35revisit as little
18:36as five minutes.
18:37So it's a huge
18:38capability that we
18:39have.
18:40Like for the
18:41micro picture,
18:42as General Panu
18:42was saying,
18:43that if you want
18:43to establish
18:44large movements,
18:45formations,
18:46infrastructure,
18:47military infrastructure,
18:48this is the kind
18:48of satellite that
18:49will give you
18:50the feed for that.
18:51And of course,
18:51you need to kind
18:52of, if you want
18:53like smaller area
18:53coverage,
18:54then you go into
18:55your LEO satellites
18:56and you know,
18:57your high altitude
18:58pseudo satellites,
18:58those kind
18:59of capabilities.
19:00But this must
19:00be understood
19:01as part of
19:02one large mesh
19:03of satellites,
19:05which high altitude,
19:06pseudo satellites,
19:07drones,
19:08all of that.
19:08This is the kind
19:09of capability that,
19:10you know,
19:10you covered the
19:11Kargil war,
19:12Gaurav,
19:12you know better
19:12than most that.
19:14This is the kind
19:14of capability
19:15we should have
19:15had decades ago.
19:17Persistent watch
19:18over our contested
19:20boundaries.
19:20From Kargil
19:20to Doklam
19:21to Galwan
19:22to Aup Sandhur,
19:24I mean,
19:24this would have
19:24been such a shot
19:25in the arm
19:26and force multiplier
19:27constantly.
19:27But the 30 seconds
19:28that I have
19:29on this part
19:29of the show,
19:30General,
19:30if I may,
19:31we've spoken
19:32of Jai Jawan
19:32and we've spoken
19:33of environment
19:34and climate.
19:35Jai Kisan,
19:36how does this
19:37help our farmers
19:38in so many ways,
19:39sir?
19:40I think when you
19:41do earth observation,
19:43you are looking
19:43at the soil conditions,
19:45you are looking
19:45at the temperature,
19:46you are looking
19:47at the humidity,
19:48you are looking
19:49at far too many
19:50attributes which
19:51will give you
19:51the soil conditions.
19:54There are certain
19:54ways that even
19:55some props
19:56can be put on ground
19:58and you can have
19:59a space connected
20:00with that,
20:00so you can even
20:01get the NPK,
20:02you know,
20:02those are the kind
20:03of important things
20:04which tell you
20:05how much fertilizer
20:06to use,
20:06when to use,
20:07when to sow,
20:08which is the
20:10right place
20:10where right crop
20:11would work.
20:12So,
20:13the soil is
20:16bent for the soil.
20:17Drought,
20:17floods,
20:17rains,
20:18forest fires,
20:19so many issues
20:20where this comes
20:21into effect
20:21and I hope we have
20:22a much longer
20:23discussion in the
20:24days ahead.
20:25General Pannu
20:26and Sandeep
20:27for joining me here
20:28on this Battlecry
20:29special broadcast,
20:30many thanks.
20:31Now, this is
20:32our third eye
20:33in space,
20:34a major force multiplier.
20:36A quick break,
20:36news and updates
20:37continue on India Today.
20:39Stay with us.