Mission Drishti, launched by Bengaluru-based startup GalaxEye on May 3, 2026 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, marks an important moment for India’s private space industry. The satellite is being described as the world’s first “OptoSAR” mission as it combines Electro-Optical (EO) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors on a single platform. This allows it to capture images in cloudy weather and even during nighttime conditions.
Weighing 190 kg, Mission Drishti is also India’s largest privately developed Earth observation satellite. Developed over more than five years, the project reflects how Indian startups are increasingly building advanced space technologies that were once limited largely to government agencies.
The satellite is expected to support applications across agriculture, disaster management, defence, maritime monitoring, and infrastructure planning. GalaxEye has partnered with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, for the global distribution of the satellite’s imagery. Initial data from the mission is expected to be released in the coming weeks, while the company plans to gradually expand Mission Drishti into a larger satellite constellation over the next few years.
Image generated by: Gemini