Key Takeaway:
- Drishti was successfully launched on Sunday, May 3, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
- The 190-kilogram satellite is India’s largest privately developed Earth observation spacecraft to date.
- The proprietary “OptoSAR” system integrates high-resolution optical and radar imaging for all-weather monitoring.
Bengaluru-based GalaxEye launched its first commercial spacecraft, the GalaxEye Drishti satellite, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on Sunday, aiming to deliver advanced, all-weather Earth observation using a first-of-its-kind OptoSAR system.
Drishti Combines Optical and Radar Imaging for All-Weather Monitoring
GalaxEye describes Drishti as the world’s first operational satellite integrating Electro-Optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar sensors into a single platform. The system enables continuous imaging regardless of cloud cover, darkness or adverse weather, positioning the GalaxEye Drishti satellite as a major advancement in Earth observation technology.
Weighing 190 kilograms, the satellite is India’s largest privately developed Earth observation spacecraft. It can capture imagery at a resolution of 1.5 meters and revisit locations globally every seven to 10 days.
“Drishti can see through clouds, darkness and bad weather while also capturing conventional optical imagery,” said Suyash Singh, co-founder and CEO of GalaxEye. He added that combining both data streams produces more consistent and usable imagery.
The satellite carries a deployable antenna spanning about 3.5 meters and is roughly the size of a refrigerator. It also includes onboard artificial intelligence powered by Nvidia’s Jetson Orin platform to process data directly in orbit.
Satellite Targets Defense, Agriculture and Disaster Response Needs
The GalaxEye Drishti satellite is designed to support applications such as border surveillance, defense monitoring, disaster response, agriculture and infrastructure planning. Its ability to operate in all weather conditions addresses a key limitation of traditional optical satellites.
“Instead of transmitting vast quantities of raw imagery back to Earth, parts of the processing will happen directly in orbit,” Singh said. “The idea is to reduce the time taken to convert satellite imagery into actionable information.”
GalaxEye said Drishti was developed with India’s tropical climate in mind, where persistent cloud cover often disrupts conventional imaging systems. Radar-based imaging helps overcome this limitation, while optical data improves interpretability, making the GalaxEye Drishti satellite highly effective in challenging environments.
The company previously tested its imaging systems through nearly 500 aerial sorties using drones, aircraft and high-altitude platforms. It also flew an earlier payload aboard an Indian Space Research Organisation mission.
Indian defense agencies, including the Defence Space Agency and the armed forces, have been tracking the program, the company said.
GalaxEye Plans Satellite Constellation Expansion Over Four Years
Following the launch, GalaxEye plans to build a constellation of eight to 12 satellites over the next four years. Future versions are expected to deliver even higher-resolution imagery, further strengthening the role of the GalaxEye Drishti satellite in global Earth observation.
The company has already signed distribution partnerships in more than 20 countries, indicating strong global interest in its technology.
India’s leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, along with the space community, welcomed the launch in public statements.
Singh said the OptoSAR technology is both an Indian and a global patent and could set a new benchmark. “This can become the gold standard for the world,” he said.
GalaxEye, incubated at IIT Madras, joins a growing group of Indian private space startups expanding capabilities in satellite technology and Earth observation.
