GalaxEye to Launch World’s First Multi-Sensor Earth Observation Satellite in 2026

Indian spacetech startup GalaxEye announced plans to launch the world’s first multi-sensor Earth observation satellite, ‘Mission Drishti’, in the first quarter of 2026. Weighing 160 kilograms, the satellite is India’s largest privately-built satellite and the highest-resolution Earth observation platform developed in the country.

‘Mission Drishti’ is designed to carry multiple sensing technologies on a single platform, combining synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and high-resolution optical payloads. This combination enables continuous Earth observation under all weather conditions and at any time of day, offering unprecedented geospatial intelligence for governments, defence agencies, industries, and communities.

“With Mission Drishti, we are opening a new era of actionable data from space. For the first time globally, a single satellite will integrate multiple sensing technologies, allowing observations that were previously impossible,” said Suyash Singh, co-founder and CEO of GalaxEye. He added that the project positions India prominently on the global space map while creating intelligence systems usable by businesses, governments, and communities.

The launch of ‘Mission Drishti’ also marks the start of GalaxEye’s satellite constellation programme. The company plans to launch 8-12 satellites successively until 2029 to enable near real-time Earth observation for global applications, including border surveillance, disaster management, agriculture, utilities monitoring, infrastructure inspection, and financial and insurance risk assessment.

The first satellite has undergone extensive structural testing at ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) to ensure it can withstand the harsh environment of space, including extreme temperatures, vibrations, and vacuum conditions. Each satellite in the programme is designed as a remote-sensing Earth observation system, optimised for spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution to deliver high-precision imagery.

‘Mission Drishti’ will provide a spatial resolution of 1.5 metres, meaning each pixel represents a 1.5 x 1.5 metre area on Earth’s surface from an altitude of 500 kilometres. This level of detail is expected to support advanced geospatial analysis for a wide range of sectors, from defence and security to agriculture and environmental monitoring.

GalaxEye, based in Bengaluru, is focused on turning space technology into practical intelligence solutions. By integrating SAR and optical imaging in a single satellite, the company aims to deliver actionable insights that were previously limited by weather conditions or time-of-day restrictions. The programme is positioned as a major step in India’s private space technology landscape, expanding capabilities for both domestic and global applications.

The launch of ‘Mission Drishti’ and subsequent satellites will be a critical milestone for India’s Earth observation capabilities, offering high-resolution, multi-sensor data for scientific, industrial, and defence purposes.