India is set to kick off its 2026 space mission calendar with the launch of the PSLV-C62 mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on January 12, marking the first orbital launch of the year by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The 260-tonne Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), India&rsquo;s trusted workhorse rocket, will carry the primary Earth observation satellite EOS-N1, also called Anvesha, into a sun-synchronous orbit hundreds of kilometres above Earth. EOS-N1 is designed for high-resolution imaging to support applications including surveillance, environmental monitoring, agriculture and resource mapping.
Alongside Anvesha, the PSLV-C62 will deploy 14 co-passenger satellites for Indian and international customers arranged through ISRO&rsquo;s commercial arm, NewSpace India Ltd. These smaller payloads include research and technology demonstration satellites from startups and global partners, expanding collaboration and commercial access to space.
In addition to satellite deployment, the mission will feature an in-orbit demonstration of a re-entry capsule developed by a Spanish startup, testing controlled de-boost and atmospheric re-entry following deployment.
The mission&rsquo;s countdown began the day before launch, with the PSLV-C62 scheduled for lift-off at around 10:18 am IST. Within minutes of launch, the main and co-passenger satellites are expected to be placed into orbit. This launch continues the PSLV&rsquo;s legacy of reliability, following historic missions that carried iconic spacecraft such as Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission and Aditya-L1.
As India strengthens its space capabilities and international partnerships, this mission signals a strong start to the nation&rsquo;s 2026 space endeavours.

India begins its 2026 space calendar with a key Earth observation and satellite launch

ISRO Set to Launch PSLV-C62 Mission on Jan 12

India begins its 2026 space calendar with a key Earth observation and satellite launch

January 12, 2026 | 15:41 IST

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