ISRO Launches Spy Satellite Anvesha To Boost India’s Private Space Ecosystem

The 64th mission of PSLV, PSLV-C62 / EOS-N1, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota at 10:18 am.

India’s trusted workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), successfully staged a strong comeback today, putting it behind its last year’s setback.

The 64th mission of PSLV, PSLV-C62 / EOS-N1, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota at 10:18 am.

The flight carried a total of 15 satellites, including a highly classified surveillance satellite called Anvesha, developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

PSLV-C62 carried EOS-N1 and 15 co-passenger satellites. EOS-N1 and 14 co-passengers are planned for injection into Sun Synchronous Orbit whilst the Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) is planned for a re-entry trajectory.

The Anvesha satellite is designed to provide cutting-edge imaging capabilities, enabling India to map enemy positions with pinpoint precision.

Beyond the strategic payload, this mission is historical for another reason: India’s private space sector is stepping into the limelight. For the first time, a single Indian private company, Dhruva Space, based in Hyderabad, is contributing seven satellites to the mission.

The PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission would initially deploy the Earth Observation Satellite constructed by Thailand and the United Kingdom, followed by 13 other co-passenger satellites into the sun-synchronous orbit around 17 minutes after lift-off.

Subsequently, the separation of the fourth stage of the rocket (PS4) and demonstration of the Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID) capsule, weighing about 25 kg, belonging to a Spanish startup, is expected to take place in over 2 hours after launch.

According to ISRO, scientists would restart the fourth stage of the rocket to demonstrate the KID capsule to make its re-entry into the Earth atmosphere.

For this to happen, the scientists would re-start the fourth stage to de-boost and enter a re-entry trajectory, and this will be followed by the KID capsule separation.

Both the PS4 stage and the KID capsule (who will be the last co-passenger) will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and make a splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean,ISRO said.

Why This Launch Matters

The final PSLV mission in May 2025 ended in failure due to an anomaly in the rocket’s third stage. This launch is not just about deploying satellites but about restoring trust in India’s most reliable launch vehicle and reinforcing ISRO‘s reputation as a global player.

Furthermore, the mission signals a paradigm shift. For decades, India’s space program was synonymous with ISRO. Today, private players like Dhruva Space are emerging as critical partners, offering end-to-end solutions from satellite design to implementation and even ground station services.

The PSLV-C62/DL variant, weighing 260 tonnes with two strap-on boosters, carried the primary EOS-N1 (Anvesha) satellite for DRDO’s marine surveillance and Earth observation needs.

The Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) has triumphantly kicked off the 2026 launch schedule with the successful PSLV-C62 mission, sending 16 satellites into space from Sriharikota.

Lift-off occurred at 10:18 AM IST on January 12, marking the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), long hailed as Isro’s reliable work horse.

This roaring success injects momentum into India’s burgeoning space economy among global competition and a booming private ecosystem.

A THUNDERING START

The PSLV-C62/DL variant, weighing 260 tonnes with two strap-on boosters, carried the primary EOS-N1 (Anvesha) satellite for DRDO’s marine surveillance and Earth observation needs.

Alongside it, 15 co-passenger satellites from Indian startups, universities, and international partners, including Spain’s Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) for reusable tech trials, circled into a sun-synchronous polar orbit about 200-500 km above Earth.

Managed by NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), this ninth commercial rideshare shows Isro’s pivot towards private sector integration.

The confirmation of deployment of satellites is awaited from Isro.

After a 22.5-hour countdown, the PSLV-C62 with the EOS-N1 satellite and 15 co-passenger satellites developed by startups and academia from India and abroad lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota at 10.18 a.

The EOS-N1 earth observation satellite is said to be constructed for strategic purposes. “It is a commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). EOS-N1 and 14 co-passenger satellites will be injected into a Sun Synchronous Orbit, and the KID Capsule into a re-entry trajectory,”Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said.

It included that after the injection of EOS-N1 and 14 satellites, the PS4 stage will be restarted to de-boost and enter a re-entry trajectory, followed by KID Capsule separation. “Both PS4 stage and KID capsule will re-enter Earth’s Atmosphere and impact will be in the South Pacific Ocean,” the ISRO said.

The 15 other co-passengers are: Theos-2 Earth Observation satellite constructed jointly by Thailand and UK SSTL (UK), CGUSAT by Dhruva Space (India), DSUSAT by Dhruva Space, MOI-1 by Dhruva Space and Takeme2Space (India), LACHIT by Dhruva Space, Thybolt-3 by Dhruva Space and Don Bosco University (India), Munal by Nepal university Antharkshya Pratishtan (Nepal) and MEA, GoI, KID by Orbital Paradigm (Spain) and RIDE! (France), Edusat by AlltoSpace (Brazil), Uaisat by AlltoSpace, Galaxy Explorer by AlltoSpace, Orbital Temple by AlltoSpace, Aldebaran-1 by AlltoSpace, Sanskarsat by Laxman Gyanpith (India), and AyulSat by OrbitAid (India).

The launching of the PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission is the 105th launch from Sriharikota. It was also the 64th flight of PSLV and the fifth mission of the PSLV-DL variation.

ISRO‘s 2026 space odyssey begins today with the PSLV-C62 mission, a high-stakes celestial ballet of 16 satellites. The launch features India’s first orbital AI-imaging laboratory, and the first on-orbit refueling model.

The historic Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota is buzzing with activity as the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) prepares for its first major orbital ceremony in 2026. Scheduled for lift-off today, the PSLV-C62 mission is not just another routine launch; it is a high-stakes celestial ballet.

Carrying 16 satellites into a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit, Isro’s “workhorse” is set to demonstrate India’s growing dominance in the global small-satellite launch market.

MOI-1 processes data directly on the satellite using edge compute, slashing latency for lightning-fast analysis. By enabling the world’s first cybersecurity in space, the mission allows users to rent time on the processor for $2 (Rs 180) per minute, effectively democratizing access to orbital intelligence.

Tucked inside the MOI-1 satellite is another record-breaking wonder: MIRA, the world’s lightest space telescope.

Developed by Eon Space Laboratory, this 502-gram optical system is carved from a single, solid block of fused silica glass. By integrating the telescope directly into the MOI-1 AI laboratory, the team has created a seamless eye and brain unit in orbit.

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