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Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye has recently launched its Mission Drishti satellite into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from California.
About Mission Drishti
- The satellite is designed with a unique “OptoSAR” system, combining Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Electro-Optical (EO) sensors on a single platform, a first for a commercial satellite.
- This dual-sensor setup allows it to capture both optical, photo-like images and radar-based visuals that can work even through clouds, darkness, and heavy rainfall.
- By using its proprietary “SyncFused” technology, data from both sensors is aligned in a single pass, helping generate richer and more actionable insights than single-sensor systems.
- Weighing around 190 kg, it is the largest Earth observation satellite built by a private company in India.
- The satellite offers high-resolution imaging capabilities ranging between 1.2 and 3.6 metres, suitable for detailed observation of the Earth’s surface.
- It is also equipped with onboard artificial intelligence powered by Nvidia Jetson Orin, enabling it to process data directly in space and speed up the delivery of insights.
- The system is intended for both civilian and strategic use cases, including monitoring borders, tracking ships, supporting disaster management during floods and cyclones, and improving agricultural assessment like crop health.
- Mission Drishti is the first in a planned network of 8 to 12 satellites, which the company aims to deploy by 2029 to build a larger Earth observation constellation.
