IMAGING

ISRO launches GSLV-F17 carrying EOS-05

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently launched the GSLV-F17 rocket successfully carrying the EOS05 Earth observation satellite.

The GSLV-F17 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 2:55 am IST on September 4 in a pre-dawn launch and subsequently placed EOS-05 into its designated sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Mission Director Thomas Kurian described the launch as a significant milestone for the GSLV programme. He said it was the 19th flight of the GSLV and carried a specially configured Earth observation satellite capable of providing near-real-time imaging. He said EOS-05 was the heaviest satellite placed by the GSLV into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, or sub-GTO, and credited the success to years of preparation and the efforts of scientists, engineers and other teams involved in the mission. The satellite is expected to provide a continuous view of the country from an altitude of nearly 36,000 km, supporting advanced imaging and observation applications.

Space42 launches Future Spacers Programme

Space42 based in UAE, has launched the Future Spacers Programme to strengthen the country’s space talent pipeline. The programme aims to support the UAE’s knowledge economy by encouraging young people to pursue careers in STEM, artificial intelligence, data management and emerging technologies. Emirati students will gain up to 16 weeks of experience at Space42 facilities.

The inaugural cohort includes students from Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and Zayed University, along with students from schools identified by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). satelliteprome.com

China completes two space launch missions in one day

China recently carried out two successful space launches within hours of each other, sending a new batch of low-orbit internet satellites and a pioneering pair of commercial interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) remote-sensing satellites into preset orbits.

The first launch took place at 8:32 am at the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site, where a Long March 12 carrier rocket lifted off and accurately sent the 25th group of low-orbit internet satellites into scheduled orbit. Hours later, at 10:40 am, a Kuaizhou-11 Y3 solid carrier rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China, successfully sending two satellites into preset orbit. www.globaltimes.cn

EU and Korea deepen cooperation

The European Commission and the Republic of Korea have agreed to strengthen cooperation on secure satellite connectivity and explore future integration with IRIS2, the EU’s secure connectivity constellation. For the Republic of Korea, this could open access to the programme’s architecture, while the EU space industry could draw on Korean industrial expertise.

The agreement sets up a working group to exchange information on existing and forthcoming secureconnectivity programmes, explore joint applications and use cases, and assess technical solutions for cooperation at system level with IRIS2. The working group brings together the Commission, the European Space Agency, and the Republic of Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Agency for Defense Development, alongside representatives from other agencies and national authorities. The first phase of IRIS2 is scheduled for launch by the end of 2029. In August 2026, the conclusion of negotiations on the programme’s governance, technical set-up and financing confirmed the system architecture and shortlisted the main suppliers for the programme. eu-space.europa.eu

China releases first nationwide geometric benchmark imagery

China’s Ministry of Natural Resources has released its first complete set of geometric benchmark imagery covering the entire mainland territory, providing a unified high-precision reference for satellite remote sensing data, reported by CCTV News. The imagery, with a resolution better than 0.5 meters, serves as a national “spatial scale” that allows images from different satellites to be accurately aligned and calibrated. Officials said the development resolves long-standing inconsistencies that have hindered the growing commercial remote-sensing sector.

At the ministry’s Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Center, staff demonstrated the difference with side-by-side comparisons. Without the benchmark, images of the same area captured by different satellites often failed to match: roads appeared discontinuous or shifted, and features did not align. After calibration using the new benchmark imagery, building footprints, road lengths and directions became consistent and precise. The release comes as China’s commercial remote-sensing satellite constellation expands rapidly. Inconsistent geometric references had constrained industry growth by complicating data fusion and raising production costs. The new benchmark acts as a base map that can be used to correct raw satellite data, ensuring precise registration across sources. www.globaltimes. cn/page/202608/1369422.