India to conduct first space launch of 2026 with PSLV-C62, says Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium Director
Bengaluru, January 11
Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium Director, B. R. Guruprasad, on Sunday, stated that India is going to conduct its first launch of the year in space on Monday with Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C62.
"Tomorrow, on January 12, 2026, is the first launch of the year being conducted by India. This launch vehicle is one of the most reliable ones in the world. The PSLV has also launched spacecraft such as Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan, Aditya-L1, and others," he said.
Speaking to ANI, Guruprasad said that the launch will mark the 64th launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. It will take an Earth observation satellite named "Anvesha, EOS-N1" to a polar sun-synchronised orbit, at least a hundred kilometres above the Earth's surface.
"It will be the 64th launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. This vehicle is going to take a satellite called Anvesha, EOS-N1, an Earth observation satellite, into a polar sun-synchronous orbit, probably a couple of hundred kilometres above the Earth's surface," he added.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in a post on X had stated, "The Launch of PSLV-C62 Mission is scheduled on 12 January 2026 at 10:17 hrs IST from First Launch Pad (FLP), SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota."
Earlier, on December 24, ISRO successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite for the United States' AST SpaceMobile. The satellite was successfully placed in orbit, and the mission was declared a success.
The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 8:55 AM IST.
The mission deployed the next-generation communication satellite designed to provide high-speed cellular broadband directly to smartphones worldwide. The BlueBird Block-2 spacecraft would be the heaviest payload to be launched into Low Earth Orbit in the history of the LVM3 rocket.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's impressive to see India's consistent launch cadence. Following the successful US satellite launch just last month, and now starting 2026 with another mission. The reliability of PSLV is world-class.
Earth observation satellites are so crucial for agriculture, disaster management, and urban planning. Hope Anvesha provides high-quality data for our scientists. All the best to the team at Sriharikota!
While I'm proud of ISRO's achievements, I do wish there was more transparency and public engagement. A live stream with better commentary in regional languages would help more Indians feel connected to these missions.
PSLV's 64th launch! What a track record. From Chandrayaan to now, it's been the backbone. Excited for the live countdown tomorrow at 10:17 AM. Setting my alarm! 🔥
The cost-effectiveness and success rate of the Indian space program is a lesson for many developed nations. Launching both domestic and international payloads back-to-back shows remarkable operational efficiency.
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