Did ISRO's PSLV-C62 successfully launch the EOS-N1 satellite for 2026?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Jan 12 (NationPress) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully executed the first launch of 2026 with the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite, also known as Anwesha, aboard its PSLV-C62 rocket. The EOS-N1 lifted off during the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at 10:17 am IST from the First Launch Pad (FLP) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
ISRO announced on social media, "Liftoff! PSLV-C62 launches the EOS-N1 Mission from SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota." The launch aims to bolster India’s remote sensing capabilities, benefiting sectors such as agriculture, urban mapping, and environmental monitoring.
This mission includes 15 co-passenger satellites, with a planned injection into Sun Synchronous Orbit. Additionally, the PSLV-C62 mission will showcase KID or Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator, a small-scale prototype of a re-entry vehicle being developed by a Spanish startup. The KID capsule is intended for a re-entry trajectory, as per ISRO's plans.
After the KID is the final co-passenger to be deployed, it will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere, targeting a splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean. The PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 Mission marks the 9th dedicated commercial venture by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm.
This launch is the fifth utilizing the PSLV-DL variant, featuring two solid strap-on boosters. The PSLV has successfully completed 63 flights, including significant missions like Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission, Aditya-L1, and Astrosat. In 2017, PSLV achieved a world record by launching 104 satellites in a single mission.
Earlier in May, ISRO completed its 101st launch with the PSLV-C61 mission, deploying the 1,696 kg EOS-09 Earth Observation Satellite into a 505 km Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit. While the initial phases of that flight were successful, a technical issue in the rocket's third stage hindered the mission from reaching its designated orbit.