Digital Desk: The Indian Space & Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the first satellite of 2022, the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-04), on Valentine's Day.
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 the height of 529 kilometers above the planet.
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 INS-2TD is a precursor to the India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B).
ISRO stated that the EOS-04 is a Radar Imaging Satellite that is meant to give high-quality images in all-weather circumstances for applications like agriculture, forestry and plantations, soil moisture and hydrology, and flood mapping. After the Launch Authorization Board approves the mission for launch, the countdown for the mission will begin.
Moreover, ISRO is also planning to launch the satellite onboard its workhorse PSLV-C52 to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) between February 14-17. 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."
Notably, ISRO is trying to regain its lost momentum after the covid-19 epidemic and subsequent lockdowns, which forced it to cancel numerous missions, including Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya L1.
S Somnath, the ISRO's chief, 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.
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