India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its twenty-second flight (PSLV-C21) launched French earth observation satellite SPOT 6 along with a micro-satellite from Japan in to a 655 km polar orbit inclined at an angle of 98.23 deg to the equator. PSLV-C21 launched from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota.

With a lift-off mass of 712 kg, SPOT 6 is the heaviest satellite launched by PSLV for an international customer as on Sep 2012. The Japanese micro-satellite PROITERES, carried as an auxiliary payload, has a lift-off mass of 15 kg. PSLV-C21 is the eighth flight of PSLV in 'core-alone' configuration (without solid strap-on motors).