Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Feb 8: The Indian Space & Research Organisation (ISRO) will conduct the first launch of 2022 on February 14 as it lifts off the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-04).
PSLV-C52, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, will lift off from Sriharikota’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre’s First Launch Pad at 05:59 a.m. on February 14.
The 1710-kilogram satellite will be launched into a sun-synchronous polar orbit at a height of 529 kilometres above the planet by the rocket.
The PSLV will also carry two tiny satellites in addition to EOS-04, also known as RISAT1. One student spacecraft, INSPIREsat-1, was created by the Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology in collaboration with the University of Colorado’s Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics, and an Isro technology demonstrator satellite, INS-2TD. The India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2TD) is a forerunner to the India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B).
The first launch of 2022 comes months after the devastating loss of the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-03) in August of last year, which was unable to be deployed owing to a “technical problem.”
ISRO chief S Somnath recently stated that the Department of Space plans to launch 19 missions in 2022. Isro will launch eight launch vehicles, seven spacecraft, and four technology demonstrator missions.
In the meantime, the space agency is preparing for the launch of Chandrayaan-3 in August. The third lunar mission arrives two years after Chandrayaan-2 crashed into the Moon’s far side. The orbiter, which is still hovering above the lunar surface while the lander and rover crashed, will be used by ISRO with Chandrayaan-3 as well.
