India’s EOS-05 satellite: Advanced imaging to track military activity in Pakistan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India’s EOS-05 satellite is set to keep a constant watch on Pakistan and the surrounding region. The Earth observation satellite, which moves in sync with the Earth’s rotation, is designed to provide continuous monitoring of Pakistan and neighbouring areas.

Launched on Friday, EOS-05 is among India’s most advanced high-resolution Earth observation satellites. It can capture images covering the entire Indian subcontinent every 10 minutes, while its cameras can also capture the whole of South Asia in a single frame.

India currently has 21 Earth observation satellites, most of which operate in orbits less than 600 km above the Earth. These satellites have mainly been used to monitor areas such as the sea near Bangladesh, Kashmir, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

The GSLV-F17 rocket has carried the satellite to an altitude of 31,026 km. EOS-05 is the world’s highest-resolution geostationary Earth observation satellite and the first to carry a hyperspectral imager in a geostationary orbit. From there, it will use its own propulsion system to reach its final geostationary orbit at around 36,000 km. The satellite is equipped with two multispectral imagers, one of which offers a spatial resolution of 42 metres per pixel, making it the highest-resolution camera ever deployed in geostationary orbit.

It has a 567-fold improvement in pixel density compared with ISRO’s best existing geo-imaging capability. This advanced imaging technology can detect enemy military vehicles and concealed installations hidden under artificial coverings such as leaves and nets, which may be difficult to distinguish with the naked eye or conventional cameras. Cameras on conventional Earth observation satellites often struggle to distinguish concealed installations from natural vegetation.

Two years of hard work

The past two years have been among the most challenging periods for ISRO. Although the launch was ready as early as February, it was postponed to allow additional inspections and tests. The mission was also delayed while awaiting the required approval from the central government.