The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has scheduled the PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 Mission for launch on 12 January 2026 at 10:17 a.m. from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, near Chennai.

This mission marks the 64th flight of the reliable PSLV vehicle, which has powered landmark endeavours such as Chandrayaan-1, the Mars Orbiter Mission, Aditya-L1, and Astrosat.

At the heart of this mission lies DRDO’s EOS-N1 Anvesha satellite, hailed as its crown jewel. Developed by DRDO’s Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), this hyperspectral earth-observation platform promises to deliver an eagle-eyed view of the skies for India’s defence forces. Classified as a mini-satellite weighing between 100 and 150 kg, Anvesha will orbit in low Earth orbit at approximately 600 km altitude as the primary payload.

Anvesha’s hyperspectral imaging technology captures data across hundreds of narrow spectral bands, vastly outperforming traditional RGB systems. This capability enables precise material identification, strategic surveillance, and enhanced national security applications, including missile defence monitoring.

Lt General AK Bhat (Retd), Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), described it as a breakthrough that will empower the armed forces with superior imagery for situational awareness and strategic planning amid rising regional and global security challenges.

Several DRDO laboratories have contributed to the programme, including the Soldier Support System division. Centum Electronics Ltd, a key ISpA member, played a pivotal role by developing the entire payload electronics for IRDE.

These subsystems handle sensor control, power management, image data acquisition and processing, and spacecraft interfacing—receiving commands, generating timing signals, digitising focal plane data, and formatting hyperspectral outputs for transmission.

This launch underscores India’s response to the growing militarisation of space. It follows DRDO’s 2021 deployment of the Sindhu Netra satellite, which bolstered the Indian Navy’s surveillance over the South China Sea and beyond. Post-Operation Sindoor, the government has accelerated its space efforts, with the Cabinet Committee on Security—chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—approving Phase III of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS-III) initiative in October 2024.

Under SBS-III, India plans to deploy 52 dedicated military surveillance satellites with an allocation of approximately ₹26,968 crore. This ambitious outlay aims to fortify national security and border monitoring capabilities. Anvesha represents a critical step in scaling these assets to counter escalating threats.

Joining Anvesha are 15 co-passenger satellites from domestic and international customers, highlighting the mission’s commercial dimension. This is the ninth dedicated commercial flight by NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm. Indigenous start-ups shine through contributions like Dhruva Aerospace and OrbitAID Aerospace’s AayulSAT, an experimental payload demonstrating in-orbit satellite refuelling technology.

The mission will also showcase a small-scale re-entry vehicle prototype named Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID), developed by Spanish start-up Orbital Paradigm. Injected as the final co-passenger, KID is set to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere for a splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean, validating key re-entry technologies.

As tensions in the Indo-Pacific and beyond intensify, missions like PSLV-C62 affirm India’s commitment to self-reliant space-based defence. Anvesha’s deployment not only enhances real-time intelligence but also paves the way for future hyperspectral networks, ensuring the nation’s armed forces remain ahead in an era of contested domains.

Agencies