After seven-month hiatus, ISRO to launch key satellite on September 4

After seven-month hiatus, ISRO to launch key satellite on September 4 This will end the space agency's seven-month-long hiatus since the last failed launch – PSLV-C62 Mission – in January this year.

Key points

• 2 min read New Delhi Sep 1, 2026 05: 20 AM IST.
• GISAT-1A or Geo Imaging Satellite – additionally referred to as EOS-05 under the new nomenclature system – is a replacement satellite for GISAT-1 (or EOS-03).
• Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express.
• This will end the space agency's seven-month-long hiatus since the last failed launch – PSLV-C62 Mission – in January this year.
• Launches were put on hold after the space agency suffered a number of setbacks, according to office-holders.

ISRO has undertaken only one launch this year – its workhorse launch vehicle was to place an earth observation satellite in orbit on January 12 in the PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission. (File photo).

According to THE INDIAN Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday, the earth observation satellite EOS-05 will be rolled out via GSLV F17 on September 4 at 02: 55 am from Sriharikota.

In practice, the Indian Express had earlier documented that the satellite will be rolled out in the first week of September; the other satellite parked at the spaceport NVS-03 is projected to be rolled out in November. This will end the space agency's seven-month-long hiatus since the last failed launch – PSLV-C62 Mission – in January this year.

GISAT-1A or Geo Imaging Satellite – additionally referred to as EOS-05 under the new nomenclature system – is a replacement satellite for GISAT-1 (or EOS-03). The previous satellite, which was introduced in 2021, failed to reach orbit after the cryogenic upper stage of the rocket failed to ignite. A failure analysis committee discovered that a malfunctioning valve led to insufficient pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank, causing the failure. The satellite, with a 10-year mission life, is designed to image sizeable areas of interest at frequent intervals for purposes such as monitoring natural disasters or keeping track of agriculture or forestry.

This is India's first earth observation satellite in a higher geosynchronous orbit. Most earth observation satellites are placed in low earth orbit.

Launches were put on hold after the space agency suffered a number of setbacks, according to office-holders. Three of the six missions undertaken by the space agency in 2025 and 2026 concluded with the satellites not reaching the intended orbits due to anomalies in the launch vehicle or spacecraft engine.

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the challenges with pervasive infectious conditions. She documented on the government's management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city administration investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt additionally takes a keen interest in the country's space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was additionally selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University's Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor's Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She began her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor.

For now, after seven-month hiatus, ISRO to launch key satellite on September 4 remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.