ISRO will start 2026 with the launch of an Earth observation satellite

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is gearing up to launch the PSLV-C62 mission on Monday with the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite along with 15 co-passenger satellites from domestic and international customers.

The mission is the ninth dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the space agency.

This launch will be the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) – a workhorse of ISRO’s notable missions such as Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission, Aditya-L1 and Astrosat Mission.

The mission will carry satellites from Indian startups such as Dhruva Aerospace and OrbitAID Aerospace’s AayulSAT, an experimental payload to demonstrate satellite refueling technology in orbit.

The PSLV-C62 mission will also demonstrate a small-scale prototype of a re-entry vehicle, the Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID), developed by Spanish start-up Orbital Paradigm. The KID will be the last co-passenger to be injected, after which it is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere toward a splashdown in the South Pacific.

The PSLV-C62 mission will take off from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on January 12, 2026 at 10:17 am.

Published on January 11, 2026