Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye has placed its Mission Drishti satellite into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from California on May 3, 2026. GalaxEye bills Mission Drishti as the world’s first operational OptoSAR satellite, combining electro-optical (EO) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors on a single platform.
The dual-sensor approach pairs high-resolution EO imaging, effective in daylight and clear skies, with SAR’s radar-based capability for day-and-night, all-weather observation. According to the company, this fusion is designed to overcome longstanding limitations of conventional single-sensor systems and deliver more consistent, reliable Earth observation data across varied environmental conditions.
Founder and CEO Suyash Singh said the satellite is now in orbit and the team is focused on completing commissioning. He noted growing international interest in the differentiated datasets the OptoSAR payload can produce.
Mission Drishti is intended for dual-use applications, supporting defence and security, agricultural monitoring, disaster response, maritime surveillance, and infrastructure planning. GalaxEye expects the satellite to complement India’s existing Earth observation capabilities, referenced alongside the 29 active EO satellites cited in ISRO’s recent annual report.
Looking ahead, the start-up plans to expand the programme into a constellation of 10 OptoSAR satellites by 2030 to strengthen India’s sovereign Earth observation infrastructure and increase revisit rates and data resilience for critical users.
