GalaxEye successfully launched Mission Drishti, introducing the world’s first OptoSAR satellite and advancing India’s private sector capabilities in next-generation Earth observation technologies.

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• Mission Drishti was launched on May 3, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking a significant milestone in India’s private space sector.
• The 190-kilogram satellite represents India’s largest privately developed Earth observation satellite, demonstrating growing technological capabilities and increasing participation of startups in the national space ecosystem.
• OptoSAR technology integrates Electro-Optical sensors with Synthetic Aperture Radar systems, enabling seamless imaging across visible, infrared, and microwave spectra under diverse environmental and lighting conditions.
• The satellite provides all-weather, day-and-night imaging capability, overcoming limitations of traditional optical satellites that are affected by cloud cover and low-light conditions.
• Mission Drishti supports applications such as agriculture monitoring, disaster response, infrastructure planning, maritime tracking, and defence surveillance through high-quality and continuous Earth observation data.
• GalaxEye collaborated with NewSpace India Limited for global distribution of satellite data, enhancing commercial outreach and expanding access to geospatial intelligence services worldwide.
• Developed after more than five years of research by IIT Madras alumni-founded startup GalaxEye, the mission highlights innovation-driven growth within India’s emerging private space industry.
• The satellite is a dual-use platform with both civilian and defence applications, strengthening India’s strategic capabilities in monitoring, planning, and resource management across multiple sectors.