Guruprasad explains EOS-09's 24/7 earth observation
Bengaluru, May 17 (UNI) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch EOS-09, an advanced Earth observation satellite equipped with radar technology that can monitor the planet day and night, regardless of weather conditions, including through clouds.
This breakthrough capability will greatly enhance applications in agriculture, disaster management, urban planning, and other civilian sectors, officials said.
Dr B R Guruprasad, former ISRO scientist and current Director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, told reporters that the radar sensor onboard EOS-09 enables it to function continuously, unlike traditional Earth observation satellites which rely on optical cameras and are limited by daylight and clear skies.
"This radar sends out radio waves and measures the reflected signals to build images of the Earth. Because it does not depend on sunlight, the satellite can observe the Earth both day and night, and in all weather conditions, including cloudy skies," Dr Guruprasad explained.
EOS-09, weighing approximately 1,700 kilograms, will be launched aboard the 63rd mission of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), specifically the PSLV-C61 variant, from the Sriharikota spaceport. The launcher used for this mission is the heaviest version of PSLV, known as the PSLV-XL.
According to Dr Guruprasad, ISRO has a history of launching radar-based Earth observation satellites, with the first such satellite launched as early as 2011. The upcoming EOS-09 mission continues this tradition and represents a significant upgrade in radar imaging technology.
"The satellite is primarily designed for civilian use, with applications including agriculture, forestry, disaster management, urban development, cartography, and weather monitoring," he said. 'The radar capability makes it particularly valuable in sectors that require reliable, timely information regardless of environmental conditions.'
ISRO's launch of EOS-09 is expected to strengthen India's capacity for resource management, disaster response, and scientific research, contributing to sustainable development and improved quality of life.
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UPSC Key: Axiom-4 mission, Project Cheetah, and Tardigrades
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 10, 2025. If you missed the June 9, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. What's the ongoing story: AS GROUP Captain Shubhanshu Shukla gets ready to become the first Indian to go to space in over 40 years, an 18-member team from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), led by chairman V Narayanan, has reached NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to witness the launch of Axiom-4 mission, which has been postponed by a day due to weather conditions. It is now set for lift-off on Wednesday, 5.30 pm India time. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Axiom-4 mission? • What is the significance of the International Space Station (ISS)? • What is the theme of the Axiom-4 mission? • What is the Gaganyaan mission? • What is India's roadmap for setting up the Bharatiya Antariksha Station? • How does the Indian space sector benefit from private-sector participation? • How is Shukla's experience going to help India in future space missions? • How is India planning to exploit the space market? • What is the NISAR mission? • What is the Artemis accord? Key Takeaways: • Shukla is the designated pilot for the Axiom-4 mission that will travel to the International Space Station (ISS) — after a journey of 28 hours in space. The mission's Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock with ISS around 10 pm India time on Thursday. 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This is the reason why the theme of the mission is 'Realize the Return.' • The fourth member, also the commander of the mission, is space travel veteran Peggy Whitson, who holds the record for spending the maximum number of days, 675, in space over multiple trips. • Shukla's flight comes months ahead of the scheduled launch of Gaganyaan mission, which is ISRO's maiden attempt at sending a crewed mission to the Moon. • India now has its own human spaceflight mission in the works — the rocket has been human rated, the crew escape systems and parachutes have been tested in various conditions, the astronauts have completed their training. India's first crewed mission is scheduled for 2027. And, the learnings from the Axiom-4 mission will feed into it. • Human spaceflight missions are extremely challenging, more so when you are doing it for the first time. They are maybe a couple of orders of magnitude more complex than uncrewed missions because of the safety protocols that have to be integrated. This is the challenge that ISRO faces with the Gaganyaan mission. • That is why Shukla's experience with the Axiom-4 mission is important. He will bring real-life exposure that can be utilised in Gaganyaan. Shukla is the designated pilot of the Axiom-4 mission. He will learn a lot and gain in many ways during this mission. • Also, Shukla will be the first Indian to go to the ISS. He will have an opportunity to see how the ISS functions and operates. ISRO's next big project, after Gaganyaan, is to build its own space station. That is a massive infrastructural endeavour. • Space is a costly endeavour, and the sector can benefit hugely from private-sector participation. It will also make the sector more vibrant, facilitate innovation, expedite technology development, and attract new, young talent. It can also boost economic growth. • Globally, the space market is worth about $500 billion, and is expected to double by the year 2030. India, despite being a major spacefaring nation, accounts for a just 2% share of this market. We have the ambition of increasing our share to at least 10% in the coming years. Do You Know: 'Realising the return'— how an Indian became part of Axiom-4 • In June 2023, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington, India and the US announced a decision to finalise a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation. It was also revealed that Indian and American space agencies, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), would mount a joint effort to enable an Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) by 2024. • Only three nations — the US, Russia and China — have a human spaceflight programme of their own. Shubhanshu Shukla's flight, which came about on the back of the 2023 announcement, is thus being seen as another preparatory step ahead of the Gaganyaan mission. • Their space agencies have been working on a joint NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission for over a decade now, enabling a closer-than-ever partnership. That mission is finally ready now, and likely to be launched in the next few weeks from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. • This closer collaboration was formalised a couple of months after Modi's Washington visit in June 2023, when India signed the Artemis Accords, a US-devised set of principles for responsible behaviour and cooperation in space exploration, particularly in lunar and deep planetary missions. • Shortly after the Artemis Accords were signed, Axiom Space, a private US-based space company, invited India to participate in its mission to the ISS. 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(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Structure, organisation and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity. What's the ongoing story: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Monday announced in a special one-day session of the Assam Assembly that the state government has decided to bring a 1950 Act into action to 'push back' into Bangladesh anyone who District Collectors prima facie find to be foreigners — without going through the state's existing system of Foreigners Tribunals. 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What's the ongoing story: Amid continuing criticism of various aspects of Project Cheetah, wildlife officials and field scientists from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have authored a paper seeking to counter what they termed 'persistent criticism' and 'sensationalised media narratives' against the project, and defended its progress. 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(a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance, General Science Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Science and Technology, Awareness in the fields of Space What's the ongoing story: Among the scientific experiments astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will undertake during his two week stay at the International Space Station (ISS) is one that will examine the revival, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades in space. Key Points to Ponder: • What are tardigrades? • What makes tardigrades one of the most resilient life forms on Earth? • What is the Voyager Tardigrades experiment? • Why do scientists study these microscopic, eight-legged organisms? • What is the Axiom-4 mission? • Read the biological structure and habitat of tardigrades and how these features contribute to their adaptability and widespread distribution. Key Takeaways: • Tardigrades, also known as 'water bears', are robust aquatic animals that have been around for roughly 600 million years, 400 million years before dinosaurs walked the planet. They have survived all the five major mass extinction events to have taken place thus far, and scientists believe they could be around long after humanity has died out. • Typically about 0.5 mm long when fully grown, tardigrades have four pairs of legs, with 4-6 claws on each foot. They also have a specialised mouth which helps them suck nutrients from plant cells, algae, and other small invertebrates. • Tardigrades can be found almost everywhere — from the highest mountains to the deepest oceans. 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Tardigrades can reduce their metabolism to less than 0.01% of normal, and drop their water levels by more than 95%, a state called anhydrobiosis. • Both anhydrobiosis and cryptobiosis result in the emergence of a durable shrunken state, called tun, in which tardigrades are able to withstand extreme conditions. • Also, these animals produce unique proteins such as cytoplasmic-abundant heat soluble (CAHS) proteins which are key to their resilience. • Scientists will take tardigrades to the ISS in a state of tun, before reviving them and examining the effects of space radiation and microgravity on their biological processes. • The primary objective of the experiment is to identify the genes that are responsible for making these animals resilient. 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Do You Know: • Rare Earth Elements (REEs) or Rare Earth Metals are a set of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table — the 15 lanthanides, plus scandium and yttrium, which tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides, and have similar chemical properties. REEs are classified as light RE elements (LREE) and heavy RE elements (HREE). • The 17 Rare Earths are cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), terbium (Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and yttrium (Y). • Some REEs are available in India — such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium, etc. Others such as Dysprosium, Terbium, and Europium, which are classified as HREEs, are not available in Indian deposits in extractable quantities. Hence, there is a dependence on countries such as China for HREEs, which is one of the leading producers of REEs, with an estimated 70 per cent share of the global production. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Knowledge Nugget: Geopolitics and Minerals – What is the UPSC relevance of Rare Earth Elements? 📍China curbs on rare earth magnets: Electric Vehicle makers face shortage, approach govt UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: (5) With reference to the Rare Earth Elements, consider the following statements: 1. These are crucial for manufacturing high-value goods in defence and clean energy. 2. The United States dominated rare earth elements, supplying 85 to 95 per cent of the world's demand. 3. Gadolinium (Gd) and holmium (Ho) are considered Rare Earth Elements. Which of the statements given above are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
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- Mint
Axiom-4 mission: Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's mission to ISS begins tomorrow. Check when and where to watch live
Indian Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla is set to create history by piloting the highly anticipated Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) tomorrow, on June 11. According to a NASA statement, Shubhanshu Shukla will pilot the agency's mission to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on June 11 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shukla's hometown of Lucknow is filled with posters wishing the local boy luck on his space mission, according to a Bloomberg report. In a post on June 9, the Indian Space Reserch Organisation (ISRO) said that the mission which was originally scheduled to be launched on June 10 (today), has been rescheduled to June 11 (tommorow) due to unfavourable weather conditions. 'Launch of Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station: Due to weather conditions, the launch of Axiom-4 mission for sending Indian Gaganyatri to International Space Station is postponed from 10th June 2025 to 11th June 2025. The targeted time of launch is 5:30 PM IST on 11th June 2025: Dr V Narayanan, Chairman ISRO/ Secretary DOS / Chairman Space Commission,' it wrote. The Ax-4 mission is set to launch at 8 am ET, which for Indian viewers is 5.30 pm IST on June 11. Most live streams will begin at least two hours before the launch. The Axiom and SpaceX twitter accounts, will likely post live updates and videos on their official pages. You can also watch video livestreams on the NASA website or NASA+ app from 4.55 pm IST. Axiom Space YouTube page will also livestream the launch. SpaceX will likely post a livestream on its X page. He will have the distinction of being the first Indian in history to visit the ISS and the second Indian in space after astronaut Rakesh Sharma's voyage aboard the USSR's Soyuz T-11 mission in 1984. Notably, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space under the Soviet Interkosmos programme. Now, 41 years later, Shubhanshu Shukla, will be part of a four-member crew comprising Commander Peggy Whitson of the US, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The team will spend 14 days at the ISS. The BB report noted that this mission marks the 'opening act' in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's space ambitions for India — with plans including a crewed space mission by 2027, a crewed lunar mission by 2030, set up India's own space station by 2035, and land an Indian astronaut on the surface of the moon by 2040. Notably, in 2023, ISRO successfully landed a robotic spacecraft near the moon's south pole.
