Key Takeaway:<\/p>\n
Drishti was successfully launched on Sunday, May 3, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 190-kilogram satellite is India\u2019s largest privately developed Earth observation spacecraft to date.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The proprietary \u201cOptoSAR\u201d system integrates high-resolution optical and radar imaging for all-weather monitoring.<\/p>\n
Bengaluru-based GalaxEye launched its first commercial spacecraft, the GalaxEye Drishti satellite, aboard SpaceX\u2019s Falcon 9 on Sunday, aiming to deliver advanced, all-weather Earth observation using a first-of-its-kind OptoSAR system.<\/p>\n
Drishti Combines Optical and Radar Imaging for All-Weather Monitoring<\/p>\n
GalaxEye describes Drishti as the world\u2019s 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<\/a> as a major advancement in Earth observation technology.<\/p>\n Weighing 190 kilograms, the satellite is India\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cDrishti can see through clouds, darkness and bad weather while also capturing conventional optical imagery,\u201d said Suyash Singh, co-founder and CEO of GalaxEye. He added that combining both data streams produces more consistent and usable imagery.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Jetson Orin platform to process data directly in orbit.<\/p>\n Satellite Targets Defense, Agriculture and Disaster Response Needs<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead of transmitting vast quantities of raw imagery back to Earth, parts of the processing will happen directly in orbit<\/a>,\u201d Singh said. \u201cThe idea is to reduce the time taken to convert satellite imagery into actionable information.\u201d<\/p>\n GalaxEye said Drishti was developed with India\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n