ISRO's First Launch Mission Of 2022 Slated For February 14 With PSLV C52

EOS-04 is a radar imaging satellite that will send high-quality all-weather images of agriculture, vegetation, soil moisture, and more.

ISRO|Photo: Getty

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ISRO launches Satellite: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will start its first mission of 2022 on 14 February as the earth observation satellite EOS-04 will be put into orbit by PSLV-C52. The ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru said the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C52) will be launched at 5.59 am from the first 'launch pad' of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Monday. 

ISRO said PSLV C52 has been designed to orbit the 1,710 kg EOS-04 satellite in a 529 km sun-synchronous polar orbit. Two more small satellites will be installed in the PSLV-C52 mission. EOS-04 is a radar imaging satellite that will send high-quality all-weather images of agriculture, vegetation, soil moisture, and more.

ISRO gets new chief

In January, the Indian government appointed rocket scientist S Somnath as ISRO chief who was instrumental in the development of GSLV Mk-III launcher. Somnath replaced K Sivan as senior scientist and chief of ISRO. 

S Somnath, while talking to the media after he assumed charge as chief of ISRO, said that the Indian space sector needs to be developed to provide business opportunities for private players and there is also a need to make changes in the Indian space program keeping in mind the needs of future generations.

ISRO requires more opportunities

The ISRO chief had said that currently, the Indian space program is limited to ISRO, but the government now wants new people to come into this field. Somnath, while expressing the need to increase the space budget from the existing Rs 15,000-16,000 crore to over Rs 20,000-50,000 crore, said, "But the increase in the space budget cannot be done only with government funds or support."

The ISRO chief further said that the same changes that have taken place in sectors like telecom and air travel should take place in this sector as well. This can create more employment opportunities and increase research and development. He however clarified that this does not mean that ISRO is being privatised.