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GalaxEye’s Mission Drishti — the world’s first OptoSAR satellite and India’s largest privately built Earth-observation satellite — was lost after a geomagnetic solar storm damaged a critical onboard system.
Context
Before Understanding the News
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Earth Observation (EO) Satellite | Satellite that images Earth for defence, agri, disaster mgmt |
| Electro-Optical Sensor | Optical imaging — needs sunlight + clear skies |
| SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) | Radar-based imaging — all-weather, day + night |
| OptoSAR | Fusion of EO + SAR on a single platform |
| LEOP | Launch and Early Orbit Phase (initial weeks post-launch) |
| Geomagnetic Storm | Disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field due to solar wind / CME |
Mission Drishti
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | GalaxEye Space (Bengaluru, IIT Madras-incubated) |
| Type | OptoSAR — world’s first |
| Launch date | 3 May 2026 |
| Launch vehicle | SpaceX Falcon 9 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg Space Force Base, California |
| Orbit | Low Earth Orbit (LEO) |
| Applications | Defence, disaster management, agriculture, infrastructure |
