ISRO’s EOS-09 Launch Enhances Night-Time Surveillance Capabilities
Sriharikota, May 17, 2025 – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to significantly bolster India’s night-time surveillance capabilities with the upcoming launch of the EOS-09 satellite, also known as RISAT-1B, on May 18, 2025, at 5:59 AM IST. The launch, which will take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, comes at a critical juncture amid heightened security concerns following the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
The EOS-09 satellite, weighing 1,710 kg, will be carried into a sun-synchronous orbit by the reliable PSLV-C61 rocket. What sets this satellite apart is its advanced C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which enables high-resolution imaging of Earth’s surface regardless of weather conditions or time of day. Unlike traditional optical satellites that rely on sunlight and clear skies, EOS-09 can “see” through clouds, rain, fog, and darkness, making it a game-changer for round-the-clock surveillance. This capability is particularly crucial for monitoring India’s 15,000 km of land borders—including the volatile Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the rugged terrain along the China border—as well as its 7,500 km coastline, which faces growing threats of infiltration and smuggling.
The satellite offers five imaging modes, ranging from ultra-high-resolution scans (down to 1-meter resolution) for detecting small objects like vehicles or bunkers, to wide-area coverage for broader environmental monitoring. This versatility makes EOS-09 a vital asset not only for national security but also for civilian applications such as flood mapping, cyclone tracking, landslide detection, agriculture, and forestry management. Former ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan recently emphasized the strategic importance of such satellites, noting that at least 10 satellites are currently working round-the-clock to ensure the safety of India’s borders and citizens, a point echoed in recent discussions on national security.
This launch is part of ISRO’s broader push to enhance India’s space-based surveillance. The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the Space-Based Surveillance-3 (SBS-3) mission in October 2024, aiming to deploy 52 satellites for border and maritime monitoring, with 21 built by ISRO and 31 by private firms like Larsen & Toubro and Tata Advanced Systems. The EOS-09 mission aligns with this initiative, reflecting ISRO’s shift toward prioritizing surveillance over communication satellites, a trend that began in earnest around 2020 when ISRO planned to launch 10 earth observation satellites in a single year to keep an eye on terror launchpads, border infiltration, and Chinese naval activities in the Indian Ocean.
The timing of the launch, just days after the Pahalgam attack, underscores its urgency. Past satellites in the RISAT series, like RISAT-2BR1, have been instrumental in planning surgical strikes, offering resolutions as fine as 0.35 meters. EOS-09 builds on this legacy, ensuring uninterrupted intelligence even in the harshest conditions—a capability that could have been pivotal in preempting recent security breaches. However, while ISRO’s technological advancements are commendable, the reliance on space-based solutions also raises questions about ground-level coordination and the socio-political factors driving cross-border tensions, which satellites alone cannot address.
As India continues to expand its “eyes in the sky,” with plans to launch 100–150 more satellites in the next three years, the EOS-09 mission marks a critical step toward a more secure and vigilant nation. Yet, the challenge remains to integrate this technology into a broader strategy that tackles the root causes of insecurity, beyond just watching from above.