GalaxEye to launch world's first multi-sensor EO satellite in 2026

Space-tech startup GalaxEye has announced that it is planning to launch its maiden ‘Mission Drishti’ in the first quarter of calendar year 2026. The launch will also mark the beginning of GalaxEye’s satellite constellation program, comprising 8-12 satellites to be launched successively until 2029, aiming to achieve near real-time Earth observation for global applications. 

 

This latest development underscores GalaxEye’s commitment to revolutionizing the Earth Observation technology through its proprietary SyncFused Opto-SAR technology. 

 

Weighing 160 kgs, Mission Drishti is India’s largest privately built satellite and also the highest-resolution satellite developed in the country. GalaxEye has built the world's first multi-sensor Earth observation platform, carrying synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and high-resolution optical payloads on a single satellite. Enabling unprecedented earth observation data available through any weather, any time of the day.  

 

The satellite will enable governments, defense agencies, and industries to perform advanced geospatial analysis across a wide range of applications, including border surveillance, disaster management, defence, utilities and infrastructure monitoring, agriculture as well as financial and insurance assessment - providing real-time environmental and structural insights.

 

“With Mission Drishti, we are unlocking a new era of actionable data through space exploration. For the first time in the world, we are deploying a satellite that combines multiple sensing technologies on a single platform, enabling us to observe the Earth in ways that were previously impossible. This mission places India firmly on the global space map and creates a system that turns space technology into intelligence that businesses, governments, and communities can rely on," said Suyash Singh, Co-founder & chief executive officer, GalaxEye.

 

The Drishti satellite has undergone comprehensive structural testing at ISRO’s U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), proving its capability to endure the harsh conditions of space, including extreme temperatures, vibrations, and vacuum. Each satellite is engineered as a remote-sensing Earth observation system, optimized for spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions to capture high-precision imagery.

 

“With the recent geopolitical events increasing, next generation imaging technologies with AI infusion, we look forward to providing unparalleled imagery intelligence. We already have interest from defence and security agencies, utilities, agriculture, and financial companies and we are truly excited about the potential of this technology to transform decision-making and operational efficiency across industries," Suyash adds. 

 

The first satellite will offer a spatial resolution of 1.5 metres, meaning each pixel in its imagery represents a 1.5 x 1.5 metre section of Earth’s surface from 500 km above. All weather and all time imaging can happen. 

 

Founded in 2021 the Bengaluru based startup is backed by MountTech Growth Fund Kavachh, Mela Ventures, Speciale Invest, Infosys,, Rainmatter, Navam Capital.

 

The company is specializing in in-house development of indigenous multi-sensor (SAR + Multispectral) image acquisition payloads and systems supported by AI/ML- enabled analytics platforms. Their products operate across all altitudes— Drones, UAVs, High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) and Space-borne Satellites—delivering persistent, all-weather, day-night surveillance and actionable insights for defence and other cross-sector applications. GalaxEye’s SAR and Optical sensor fusion technology, validated through multiple successful demonstrations and recognized by national awards, enables robust and cost-efficient monitoring in visually degraded and challenging environments across the globe. The company notably is the first company in India to develop a SAR payload privately.