ISRO to launch Earth observation satellite EOS-N1 on January 12
What's the story
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced the launch of its PSLV-C62 mission, scheduled for January 12 at 10:17am IST. The launch will take place from the First Launch Pad (FLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This will be the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the fifth flight of PSLV-DL with two strap-on boosters. The main payload of the PSLV-C62 mission will be the EOS-N1 (Anvesha) Earth observation satellite.
Mission details
EOS-N1 satellite to enhance India's remote sensing capabilities
The EOS-N1 satellite is expected to boost India's remote sensing capabilities in agriculture, urban mapping, and environmental monitoring. In addition to this primary payload, 18 co-passenger payloads from India and abroad will also be launched. The Indo-Mauritius Joint Satellite (IMJS) will represent the growing space partnership between the two countries. From Spain, Orbital Paradigm's Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) will be tested. This 25kg reentry capsule could pave the way for affordable recovery systems for microgravity research and sample return missions.
Innovative payloads
AayulSAT and MOI-1: India's 1st on-orbit refueling mission
Among the co-passenger payloads is AayulSAT, a satellite developed by Bengaluru-based OrbitAID Aerospace. It is billed as India's first on-orbit refueling mission, an important step toward reusable and sustainable satellite operations. Hyderabad's TakeMe2Space and EON Space will launch MOI-1, a small 14kg Earth imaging satellite with onboard artificial intelligence data processing capabilities.
Mission importance
PSLV-C62 mission: A significant step for ISRO
The PSLV-C62 mission is particularly important as it comes after the failure of the PSLV-C61 mission in late 2025. This will be ISRO's 101st orbital attempt and its first orbital launch of 2026. If successful, PSLV-C62 will reaffirm ISRO's reliability in deploying small and medium satellites and strengthen India's growing ecosystem of private and international space collaborations.