Earth Observation Satellite set for Valentine Day launch

Bengaluru: The Indian Space & Research Organisation (ISRO) will conduct the first launch of 2022 on Valentine's Day as it lifts off the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-04). The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C52 will launch at 05:59 am on February 14 from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The launcher will deploy the 1710-kg satellite into the sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of 529 kg above the planet.

Apart from EOS-04, also dubbed RISAT1, the PSLV will carry two other small satellites. These include one student satellite dubbed INSPIREsat-1 developed by the Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology in association with the Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics at the University of Colorado and a technology demonstrator satellite named INS-2TD from Isro.

The INS-2TD is a precursor to the India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B).

ISRO said that 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 for the mission will begin after approval for launch by the Launch Authorization Board.

The first launch of 2022 comes months after the fatal loss of the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-03) that could not be deployed due to a "technical anomaly" in August last year. ISRO will look to find its lost pace for its delayed missions due to Covid-19 pandemic and successive lockdowns, which pushed back several missions, like Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya L1 missions.