The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced its first mission of 2026, tentatively scheduled for 10 January, marking a significant commencement to the year's space activities.

This PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission will lift off from the First Launch Pad at Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Centre, utilising the reliable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in its 64th flight.

It serves as the return-to-flight endeavour following the PSLV-C61 mission, with the primary payload, the EOS-N1 imaging satellite developed by the DRDO for strategic Earth observation, having arrived at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on 26 December 2025.

EOS-N1, also referred to as Anvesha, is a hyperspectral imaging satellite designed to detect hundreds of wavelengths, enabling advanced material identification on Earth's surface for enhanced surveillance capabilities.

Hyperspectral imaging enables Anvesha to identify unique spectral signatures of objects, aiding in border monitoring and military asset detection through vegetation or camouflage. The satellite operates at around 600 km orbit, providing persistent surveillance regardless of weather or time.

Media coverage highlights Anvesha's role in national security imaging, such as detecting camouflaged assets via spectral analysis, but attributes this to leaks or NSIL briefings rather than DRDO press releases. ISRO's listings, like on Wikipedia, note it as an NSIL-handled Earth observation payload for a "strategic user," aligning with DRDO development but lacking mission specifics.

Accompanying it are 18 co-passenger satellites, including approximately 17 commercial payloads totalling around 200 kg from start-ups and institutions in India, Mauritius, Luxembourg, the UAE, Singapore, Europe, and the United States.

A notable secondary experiment is the Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID), a 25 kg football-sized probe from Spanish start-up Orbital Demonstrator, deployed on the PS-4 stage to test re-entry and recovery technologies. This rideshare arrangement underscores NewSpace India Limited's (NSIL) role in providing dedicated launches for strategic users alongside international customers.

The mission follows the partial setback of PSLV-C61 earlier in 2025, which encountered a third-stage anomaly preventing full orbit insertion of its EOS-09 payload, prompting rigorous analysis and vehicle refinements for C62.

Close on its heels, PSLV-N1 is slated for February 2026 as ISRO's first commercially built PSLV vehicle, realised through an industry consortium, carrying the EOS-10 oceanographic satellite and the India-Mauritius Joint Satellite (IMJS), with additional co-passengers like Leap-2 from Indian NGE.

Further ahead lies the HLVM-3 G1/OM1, the inaugural uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, aimed at validating end-to-end operations including human-rated launch vehicle aerodynamics, orbital module management, and crew module re-entry recovery.

ISRO's pipeline also encompasses GSLV F17/EOS-05 for another strategic Earth observation satellite, PSLV-C63/TDS-01 to demonstrate innovations such as high-thrust electric propulsion, indigenous travelling wave tube amplifiers, and quantum key distribution.

Additionally, SSLV L1/NSIL represents a dedicated commercial venture by NSIL, reinforcing India's growing prowess in small satellite launches. These missions collectively highlight ISRO's balanced pursuit of defence, commercial, and technological advancement objectives.