On Monday, January 12, at 10.17 a.m., Isro will launch the PSLV C62 mission, the first launch of 2026, from the first launchpad at the Sriharikota spaceport.
Another "eye in the sky" that will strengthen India's space surveillance capabilities is the advanced earth observation satellite EOS-N1 (codenamed "Anvesha"), which will be launched by the rocket.
In addition to the main payload, EOS-N1, PSLV will carry 17 other spacecraft from Indian and foreign agencies as well as a European demonstrator satellite.
Developed mainly for the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), EOS-N1 is a hyperspectral imaging satellite.
It is an essential tool for national security and surveillance since it can "see" in hundreds of wavelengths to identify objects on the ground.
Because of its sophisticated remote sensing capabilities, it will aid India in border security and be applied in a number of areas, including agriculture, urban mapping, and environmental observation.
In addition to EOS-N1, the primary satellite will carry eighteen secondary payloads, including Europe's Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID), into orbit.
With a planned splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean, the KID mission will include an experimental re-entry of a tiny capsule in partnership with a Spanish business.
Cubesats from Indian universities and startups, such as OrbitAID's AayulSAT, CV Raman Global University's CGUSAT-1, Dhruva Space's DA-1, Space Kidz India's SR-2, Assam Don Bosco University's Lachit-1, Akshath Aerospace's Solaras-S4, and Dayanand Sagar University's DSAT-1, are additional secondary payloads.
With AayulSAT, India's first on-orbit satellite refueling payload, Bengaluru-based space firm OrbitAID Aerospace is poised to create history.
By tackling space debris and sustainability issues, AayulSAT seeks to increase satellite lifespans by enabling refueling and service in orbit.
After the PSLV program's previous failure with PSLV-C61 in May 2025, the impending PSLVC62 mission is likewise viewed as a return.
Due to a technical problem in the rocket's third stage specifically, a loss in chamber pressure the previous PSLV-C61 mission was unable to launch the EOS-09 earth observation satellite, which was unable to reach its targeted sun-synchronous polar orbit. The third stage's abnormality caused the mission to fail, despite the previous two stages operating normally.
