Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 10: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to kick off its 2026 launch calendar with the PSLV-C62 mission scheduled for January 12, which will place the EOS-N1 earth observation satellite along with 14 other payloads into space.
The mission is being undertaken by ISRO’s commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), and includes 14 co-passenger satellites belonging to both Indian and international customers. ISRO said the integration of the launch vehicle and satellites has been completed, and pre-launch checks are currently underway.
“The PSLV-C62 mission is proposed to lift off on January 12 at 10.17 am from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota,” the space agency said, adding that the entire mission will span over two hours after liftoff.
A 25-hour countdown for the mission will commence on January 11. This will mark the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The primary payload, EOS-N1, is an Earth Observation Satellite jointly built by Thailand and the United Kingdom.
According to ISRO, EOS-N1 will be deployed into the intended sun-synchronous orbit about 17 minutes after liftoff, along with 13 other co-passenger satellites. The mission will also feature a post-deployment experiment involving the fourth stage of the rocket (PS4) and the Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID) capsule developed by a Spanish startup.
More than two hours after launch, ISRO scientists will restart the PS4 stage to demonstrate de-boosting and re-entry operations. This manoeuvre will place the KID capsule on a re-entry trajectory, following which it will separate from PS4. Both the PS4 stage and the capsule are expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the South Pacific Ocean.
The PSLV has so far completed 63 successful missions, including landmark launches such as Chandrayaan-1, the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), and Aditya-L1, reinforcing its reputation as ISRO’s most reliable launch vehicle.