Bengaluru-based private space startup GalaxEye confirmed Tuesday that communication with Mission Drishti, India's pioneering OptoSAR satellite, has been lost. The spacecraft encountered an anomaly during the final stage of its Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), attributed to a geomagnetic solar storm.
Launched aboard a SpaceX mission on May 3, Mission Drishti represented the world's first OptoSAR satellite, uniquely combining multispectral imaging (MSI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) on a single platform. This innovative approach was designed to deliver analysis-ready, all-weather Earth imagery.
Solar Storm Disruption Halts Mission Drishti
According to GalaxEye, the satellite initially established communication successfully and completed a significant portion of its planned LEOP. During this period, key spacecraft systems were validated, deployment and attitude control activities were executed, and onboard computing and communications systems operated as expected. The company also demonstrated its fully in-house mission operations capabilities.
However, in the final phase of LEOP, the spacecraft experienced an anomaly following a geomagnetic solar storm. Suyash Singh, founder and CEO of GalaxEye, stated, "Initial root cause analysis indicates that radiation effects associated with the event likely impacted a critical onboard system. Communication with the spacecraft subsequently became intermittent and was eventually lost. While recovery efforts are ongoing, the likelihood of recovery currently appears low."
Critical Technologies Validated Despite Setback
Despite the unexpected loss of contact, GalaxEye emphasized that the maiden mission achieved significant breakthroughs. During its active operating phase of several weeks, Mission Drishti successfully validated critical technologies, operational processes, and the infrastructure necessary to design, build, launch, and operate advanced space systems.
The company also noted that the mission strengthened customer engagement and reinforced market confidence in its Earth observation capabilities. Mission Drishti had garnered global attention, receiving recognition from prominent figures like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Lessons Learned for Future Satellite Development
Looking ahead, GalaxEye plans to leverage the invaluable engineering insights gained from Mission Drishti to accelerate its future satellite development efforts. Singh affirmed, "Learning from the mission, we are accelerating our transition toward bringing a significant portion of our supply chain, manufacturing, and satellite development processes in-house, giving us visibility and control over the entire value chain. The team is excited and ready for the next leg of our growth." The company remains committed to advancing its Earth observation technology despite this early challenge.