Indian Space Research Organisation’s first launch mission of 2022 is slated for February 14, with PSLV-C52 orbiting an earth observation satellite (EOS-04). The launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C52) is scheduled at 05:59 hours on Monday from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency said. PSLV-C52 is designed to orbit the EOS-04, weighing 1710 kg, into a sun synchronous polar orbit of 529 km, ISRO said in an update. PSLV-C52 mission will also carry two small satellites as co-passengers.

 

They are: student satellite (INSPIREsat-1) from Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST) in association with Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics at University of Colorado, Boulder, and a technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B). EOS-04 is a Radar Imaging Satellite designed to provide high quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as agriculture, forestry & plantations, soil moisture & hydrology and flood mapping. “The countdown process of 25 hours and 30 minutes leading to the launch would commence at 04:29 hours on February 13, 2022 after authorisation by the Launch Authorisation Board,” the ISRO said. Meanwhile, ISRO said, INSAT-4B has undergone post mission disposal (PMD) at the end of its life, followed by decommissioning on 24 January 2022, to comply with the UN and the Inter Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee-recommended space debris mitigation guidelines.