SRIHARIKOTA, India — The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a major spaceflight milestone on Monday night after successfully completing the third and final orbit-raising manoeuvre for its state-of-the-art Earth observation satellite, EOS-05.

According to an official statement released by the space agency, the onboard Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) was ignited at 8:57 PM IST on September 7, firing continuously for 1,247 seconds (approximately 20 minutes and 47 seconds). The prolonged engine burn provided the required velocity to raise the spacecraft’s perigee and push it into a near-geostationary orbit measuring approximately 34,903 km by 35,884 km.

"The third and final orbit raising manoeuvre to increase the perigee of EOS-05 completed successfully," ISRO announced, confirming that all parameters and health indicators of the satellite remain normal. The spacecraft is currently stabilized in its designated orbital slot at 85.5° East longitude.

The EOS-05 mission (also referred to as GISAT-1A) was launched aboard the Heavy-lift Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F17) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Following a precise injection into a sub-geostationary transfer orbit, ground controllers at ISRO executed a series of engine burns over three days to gradually circularize and elevate the satellite's trajectory toward its target altitude of 36,000 km above Earth.

Unlike traditional Earth observation satellites operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that pass over specific points at scheduled intervals, EOS-05 is positioned in a high-altitude geosynchronous orbit. In this position, the satellite matches the Earth’s rotational speed, allowing it to maintain a continuous, real-time "eye in the sky" over the Indian subcontinent and surrounding regions.

Designed with multi-band operating capabilities, the advanced spacecraft will deliver high-resolution continuous imagery crucial for agricultural monitoring, forestry tracking, disaster management response, and oceanographic observation. Additionally, official sources note that the data provided by EOS-05 will support strategic national defense and security needs.

With the primary orbital placement phase completed, ISRO engineers will perform final subsystem checks and payload calibrations over the coming days before commissioning the satellite for regular operational service. Originally designed for a seven-year operational timeframe, projected mission life estimates have now been extended to more than nine years.