ISRO to Launch PSLV C62 With DRDO’s Anvesha and 15 Other Satellites Today

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

The
Indian
Space
Research
Organisation
is
set
to
open
2026
on
a
decisive
note
with
the
launch
of
the
PSLV
C62
mission
from
the
Satish
Dhawan
Space
Centre
in
Sriharikota
at
10.17
am
IST
on
January
12.
The
mission
once
again
places
the
Polar
Satellite
Launch
Vehicle
at
the
centre
of
India’s
space
ambitions,
carrying
16
satellites
into
a
Sun
Synchronous
Polar
Orbit
and
reinforcing
the
country’s
growing
role
in
the
global
small
satellite
launch
market.

Launch
preparations
at
the
First
Launch
Pad
have
been
underway
for
several
days,
with
teams
completing
final
checks
on
what
engineers
often
describe
as
Isro’s
most
dependable
rocket.
Over
the
years,
PSLV
has
earned
its
reputation
as
a
reliable
platform
for
both
national
missions
and
international
customers.
The
C62
flight
continues
that
tradition,
combining
strategic
scientific
objectives
with
a
strong
commercial
and
technological
showcase.

The
mission
is
being
operated
as
a
global
rideshare
through
NewSpace
India
Limited,
Isro’s
commercial
arm.
Often
described
as
a
satellite
taxi
model,
the
arrangement
allows
payloads
from
multiple
countries
and
organisations
to
share
a
single
launch.
This
helps
lower
costs
while
encouraging
cooperation
across
defence,
education,
research
and
commercial
space
activity.
Satellites
from
India,
Nepal,
Spain,
Mauritius
and
Brazil
are
part
of
the
crowded
payload
stack.

At
the
centre
of
the
mission
is
EOS
N1,
also
known
as
Anvesha,
an
advanced
Earth
observation
satellite
developed
by
the
Defence
Research
and
Development
Organisation.
Equipped
with
hyperspectral
imaging
capability,
Anvesha
records
data
across
hundreds
of
narrow
wavelength
bands
rather
than
standard
colour
channels.
This
allows
each
surface
material
on
Earth
to
be
identified
by
its
unique
spectral
signature.
The
data
can
support
crop
monitoring,
soil
assessment,
mineral
exploration,
urban
expansion
tracking
and
infrastructure
planning,
strengthening
India’s
ability
to
observe
land
and
resources
with
greater
precision.

AyulSAT,
meaning
‘Life’
in
Tamil,
is
one
of
the
key
technology
missions
aboard
PSLV
C62.
Developed
by
Tamil
Nadu
based
startup
OrbitAid
Aerospace,
which
operates
across
India,
the
satellite
will
demonstrate
India’s
first
on
orbit
satellite
refuelling
technology.
The
mission
places
OrbitAid
among
a
new
group
of
Indian
startups
working
on
in
space
servicing
solutions.

The
effort
is
strongly
supported
by
the
Tamil
Nadu
government.
In
2024,
OrbitAid
Aerospace
received
pre
seed
funding
of
$540,000,
or
around
Rs
4.86
crore,
through
initiatives
such
as
StartupTN
and
the
Tamil
Nadu
Space
Industrial
Mission.
This
backing
reflects
the
state’s
push
to
build
a
strong
deep
tech
and
space
startup
ecosystem
and
help
local
companies
work
on
advanced
space
technologies.

Designed
as
a
dedicated
tanker
satellite,
AyulSAT
aims
to
test
a
specialised
docking
interface
along
with
systems
for
transferring
propellant,
power
and
data
in
microgravity.
Most
satellites
become
unusable
once
their
fuel
is
exhausted,
even
if
their
instruments
and
electronics
remain
functional,
turning
them
into
long
term
orbital
debris.
OrbitAid’s
concept
seeks
to
extend
satellite
lifespans
and
reduce
congestion
in
key
orbits.
The
company
has
described
future
versions
of
this
technology
as
orbital
fuel
stations
that
could
service
entire
satellite
constellations.

Another
innovation
on
board
is
MOI
1,
developed
jointly
by
Hyderabad
based
startups
TakeMe2Space
and
Eon
Space
Labs.
MOI
1
hosts
an
orbital
image
processing
laboratory
that
analyses
data
directly
in
space
rather
than
sending
raw
imagery
back
to
Earth.
This
reduces
delays
and
opens
new
commercial
possibilities.
Integrated
into
the
platform
is
MIRA,
a
compact
optical
telescope
weighing
just
over
500
grams,
crafted
from
a
single
block
of
fused
silica
glass.
Its
single
piece
design
is
intended
to
maintain
optical
stability
through
launch
stresses
and
temperature
variations.

International
and
education
focused
payloads
add
further
depth
to
the
mission.
Nepal’s
Munal
satellite,
a
1U
CubeSat
built
by
high
school
students
from
public
and
government
schools,
aims
to
support
topographic
mapping
while
providing
hands
on
training
for
young
engineers.
The
project
was
supported
through
cooperation
with
India’s
Ministry
of
External
Affairs.
Spain’s
Kestrel
Initial
Demonstrator
capsule
will
conduct
a
controlled
atmospheric
re
entry
test,
splashing
down
in
the
South
Pacific
after
a
short
orbital
flight.

The
Indo
Mauritius
Joint
Satellite
continues
a
bilateral
partnership
in
Earth
observation
and
data
sharing,
while
Brazilian
payloads
include
Aldebaran
1
for
maritime
rescue
applications
and
a
cultural
experiment
known
as
the
Orbital
Temple,
which
will
store
thousands
of
names
in
orbit.
From
within
India,
Dhruva
Space
has
contributed
several
satellites,
including
LACHIT
and
Thybolt
3,
to
validate
indigenous
communication
subsystems
aimed
at
future
commercial
fleets.

As
the
PSLV
rises
over
the
Bay
of
Bengal,
the
C62
mission
brings
together
defence
research,
startup
innovation,
student
participation
and
international
cooperation
on
a
single
flight.
From
hyperspectral
imaging
and
on
orbit
refuelling
to
real
time
data
processing
in
space,
the
mission
reflects
how
India’s
space
programme
has
evolved
into
a
platform
that
serves
science,
industry
and
diplomacy
alike,
with
Sriharikota
continuing
to
act
as
a
key
gateway
to
low
Earth
orbit.