India’s private space sector achieved a major milestone with the launch of Drishti, the first satellite by GalaxEye, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, USA. It was part of the CAS500-2 mission carrying multiple payloads. Founded by IIT Madras alumni, GalaxEye has introduced a pioneering technology in Earth observation.
What is Space Imaging?
Space imaging involves collecting visual and electromagnetic data from space to monitor Earth and study celestial bodies. It uses various sensors to convert signals from different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum into high-resolution images.
Key Technologies Used
- Optical Sensors: Capture visible light for clear and detailed images.
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): Uses microwave signals, enabling imaging through clouds and at night.
- Infrared & Thermal Imaging: Detect heat patterns for climate studies and disaster monitoring.
- Hyperspectral Imaging: Identifies material composition by analysing multiple light bands.
- AI & Cloud Computing: Enable real-time processing and analysis of vast data.
Limitations of Existing Systems
Traditional satellites rely on either optical or SAR imaging:
- Optical images are clear but fail during clouds or darkness.
- SAR works in all conditions but produces complex, non-intuitive images.
Combining both datasets is difficult due to differences in timing and viewing angles.
What Makes Drishti Unique?
Drishti introduces Opto-SAR technology, the world’s first system to simultaneously capture optical and radar images of the same location. This eliminates alignment issues and provides both clarity and reliability in a single dataset.
Technological Innovation
Synchronising optical and SAR sensors is challenging due to their different operating mechanisms and viewing geometries. GalaxEye developed a proprietary synchronisation system ensuring both sensors observe the exact same point simultaneously.
Role of Artificial Intelligence
Drishti uses AI to generate optical-like images from SAR data when visibility is poor, bridging the gap between interpretability and all-weather imaging.
Why This Matters for India
India’s tropical climate often faces heavy cloud cover, making traditional optical imaging unreliable. Drishti addresses this challenge, making space data consistently accessible and usable, especially for developing regions.
Applications
- Agriculture monitoring
- Disaster management
- Urban planning
- Infrastructure monitoring
- Border surveillance
- Defence intelligence
Boost to India’s Space Ecosystem
Drishti reflects the rise of private space innovation in India, supported by the Space Policy 2023, which opened the sector to private players. Start-ups like Agnikul Cosmos, Skyroot, Pixxel, and Dhruva Space are also contributing significantly.