ISRO's PSLV-C62 Rocket Experiences Mid-Flight Disturbance, Under Investigation

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

On Monday, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) faced an unexpected hurdle when its PSLV-C62 rocket experienced a technical glitch during flight, leading to concerns regarding the successful satellite deployment.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C62) took off from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, carrying the EOS-N1 (Anvesha) satellite alongside 14 co-passenger satellites. Shortly after liftoff, a disturbance in the rocket’s third stage was identified, causing a deviation from its anticipated course.

ISRO confirmed this issue and noted that engineers are currently analyzing telemetry and flight data to ascertain the nature of the anomaly and whether the satellites reached their intended orbits.

In a brief statement, ISRO remarked, “We attempted the PSLV-C62 launch today and are in the process of reviewing the data. We will provide updates soon.”

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan explained the disturbance affected the third stage and caused a shift from its planned trajectory. A thorough technical analysis is underway to evaluate the impact of this anomaly on the mission and the status of the payloads.

At this stage, ISRO has yet to confirm the status of the EOS-N1 satellite and the 14 co-passenger satellites regarding their placement into the intended polar sun-synchronous orbit. Engineers are meticulously examining the telemetry data sent from the launch vehicle to assess the condition and positioning of the spacecraft.

The PSLV-C62 mission was positioned as India's inaugural space launch of 2026 and represented the 64th flight of the dependable PSLV rocket. The significance was heightened following the abort of ISRO's prior PSLV mission in 2025 due to a technical issue detected during the countdown.

In addition to the core Earth observation satellite, the mission was expected to deploy 14 co-passenger satellites, both domestic and international, organized through NewSpace India Limited, the commercial wing of ISRO. Notably, an in-orbit demonstration of a small re-entry capsule developed by a Spanish startup was also included in the mission.

ISRO has pledged to provide a thorough update once the detailed analysis of the anomaly and flight data has been finalized.

This mission's outcome is eagerly anticipated, given that the PSLV has built a reputable history as the backbone of India's satellite launch program, known for its reliability.