Indian startup's 'Drishti' satellite launched aboard SpaceX rocket

Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye's Mission Drishti satellite was launched on Sunday aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from California. Mission Drishti is the world's first OptoSAR satellite, integrating electro-optical (EO) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors into a single operational platform, according to the company. While EO sensors capture high-resolution images during sunlight and clear skies, SAR sensors provide all-weather and all-time images, using radar pulses. Weighing 190 kilogram, Mission Drishti is the largest satellite ever built by a private Indian company, positioning GalaxEye among a new generation of startups pushing the boundaries of space technology. 

Space X Falcon 9 of @elonmusk launch The World's First OPTOSAR satellite built by an Indian Firm is now in orbit.
This platform combines Multi Spectral Imagery (MSI) with SAR imagery and produces high quality images which can be immensely useful for defence purposes. pic.twitter.com/Jsl4ZR75b3

— Oxomiya Jiyori (@SouleFacts) May 3, 2026

In a statement, Suyash Singh, founder and CEO of GalaxEye, said, "With the satellite (Mission Drishti) now successfully in orbit, our immediate focus is on completing its commissioning. As we move through this phase, we are already witnessing strong global interest in the differentiated datasets enabled by our OptoSAR payload." The satellite will help address long-standing limitations of conventional systems and enable more reliable and consistent data acquisition across diverse environmental conditions, the company said.
As a dual-use Earth observation satellite, the mission will support use cases across defence, agriculture, disaster management, maritime monitoring, and infrastructure planning. The satellite is also expected to complement India's broader initiatives, including the 29 active Earth Observation satellites outlined in ISRO's recent annual report. The launch came after five years of indigenous research and development, and extensive environmental testing and performance validation of the Mission Drishti.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Mission Drishti as a major milestone in India’s space journey, stating that the successful launch of the world’s first OptoSAR satellite reflects the passion of the country’s youth for innovation and nation-building. In a post on X, the Prime Minister congratulated the team behind the project and said the achievement underlines India’s growing technological capabilities. “Mission Drishti by GalaxEye marks a major achievement in our space journey. The successful launch of the world’s first OptoSAR satellite, and the largest privately built satellite in India, is a testament to our youth’s passion for innovation and nation-building,” he said.