The Indian Space and Research Organization (ISRO) conducted its first launch of 2022 from the first launch pad. The first launch of the year saw the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) lift off on its 54th mission into space.

The launch of the PSLV took place today (February 14) at 5:59 a.m. from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

ISRO launched the Earth Observation Satellite-04 (formerly called RISAT-1A) and two carpool payloads – a student satellite and a mission which will lay the groundwork for a future joint India-Bhutan satellite project. This launch comes more than six months after the launch of the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-03) was postponed due to a technical anomaly.

EOS-04, was designed to provide high quality images in all weather conditions for applications such as agriculture, forestry and plantations, soil moisture and hydrology, and flood mapping and an undisclosed application for military surveillance purposes. Therefore, the satellite will play a strategic role in the defence of the nation with its ability to operate day, night and in all weather conditions with a five-year lifespan.

The satellite carries two science payloads to improve understanding of the dynamics of the ionosphere and the solar coronal heating process.

Although the first launch of the year for ISRO has been successfully achieved, the launch of the four-ton advanced communications satellite GSAT-24 is also scheduled for the first quarter of this year using the Ariane-5 rocket belonging to Arianespace.