Bengaluru‑based space startup GalaxEye Space has successfully launched “Mission Drishti,” India’s largest privately built satellite, aboard a SpaceX Falcon‑9 rocket on May 3, 2026. Weighing around 190 kg, Drishti is being hailed as the world’s first OptoSAR imaging satellite, combining optical, multi‑spectral and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors in a single platform for all‑weather Earth observation
Mission Drishti is designed to capture high‑resolution images day and night, even through clouds, smoke or darkness, overcoming key limitations of traditional optical satellites. The satellite uses GalaxEye’s proprietary “SyncFused OptoSAR” architecture and onboard AI processing powered by NVIDIA Jetson Orin hardware, enabling much of the data to be processed directly in orbit before being transmitted to the ground.
The launch marks a major milestone for India’s private space sector, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it a “major achievement in our space journey” and highlighting the role of young Indian innovators in building advanced space technology. The imagery—reported to offer 1.2–3.6 metre resolution—will serve sectors such as defence, agriculture, disaster management, maritime surveillance, and infrastructure planning across India and globally.
GalaxEye now plans to expand Drishti into a larger constellation, with the company indicating ambitions to launch at least 10 satellites over the next two to three years. The success of Mission Drishti positions India as a key player in the global commercial Earth‑observation market and underscores the growing strength of Indian private space startups beyond ISRO‑led missions.
