ISRO's PSLV-C62 Mission Failure: Understanding Third-Stage Anomaly and Its Impact on India's Space Reliability

Why in News

India's first space launch of 2026 ended in failure when the PSLV-C62 rocket, carrying 16 satellites including a key earth observation payload, deviated from its path due to a problem in the third stage. This marks the second straight failure for ISRO's trusted PSLV rocket in less than a year, raising questions about its dependability and affecting commercial and strategic goals.

Key Points

1. The PSLV-C62 rocket lifted off at 10:17 AM from Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Centre, aiming for a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit with 16 satellites on board.
2. The primary payload was the EOS-N1 (Anvesha) earth observation satellite, built by DRDO for surveillance and camouflage detection.
3. Other payloads included eight foreign satellites from countries like Thailand-UK (Theos-2), Brazil, Nepal, and a Spanish startup's re-entry capsule, plus Indian tech demos like AayulSAT for in-orbit refuelling.
4. The anomaly occurred between 378 and 425 seconds into the flight, during the third stage, causing a roll rate disturbance and pressure drop in the combustion chamber.
5. All payloads were lost as the rocket failed to reach orbit, with satellites expected to burn up during re-entry into the atmosphere.
6. This is the second consecutive PSLV failure after PSLV-C61 in May 2025, both linked to third-stage pressure issues.
7. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan announced a Failure Analysis Committee to investigate, and the PSLV fleet is grounded until the issue is resolved.
8. PSLV has now failed five times in 65 missions, with this being the first back-to-back failures in its 30-year history.
9. The failure impacts ISRO's commercial earnings through NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) and raises insurance costs for future launches.
10. Some payloads had national security importance, like Anvesha, delaying India's surveillance capabilities.

Explained

What is the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and How Does It Work?

PSLV as ISRO's Workhorse: PSLV is India's most reliable rocket, used for placing satellites into low Earth orbits like sun-synchronous paths for tasks such as earth observation and navigation.

Structure of PSLV: It has four stages—first and third use solid fuel for quick thrust, while second and fourth use liquid fuel for better control; strap-on boosters can be added for extra power.

Role in Missions: Since 1993, PSLV has completed 60 successful launches out of 65, supporting programs like remote sensing, weather monitoring, and commercial missions for foreign clients.

Importance for India: It helps achieve self-reliance in space by launching satellites for disaster management, defense, and economic growth, aligning with goals like human spaceflight under Gaganyaan.

What Happened During the PSLV-C62 Launch?

Launch Sequence: The rocket took off smoothly, completing the first and second stages without issues, but problems started in the third stage around nine minutes into the flight.

Specific Anomaly: Data showed a sudden drop in chamber pressure and uncontrolled rolling, causing the rocket to deviate from its path and fail to gain enough speed for orbit.

Outcome for Payloads: None of the 16 satellites reached their intended positions; they are expected to fall back and burn in the atmosphere, resulting in total loss.

What Could Have Caused the Third-Stage Failure?

Pressure Drop Issue: A likely leak in the nozzle or casing reduced gas pressure, lowering thrust and creating uneven force that led to rolling; the third stage lacks separate roll controls.

Link to Previous Failure: Similar to PSLV-C61 in May 2025, where a material flaw or insulation problem caused pressure loss; ISRO made changes but kept the full report private.

Possible Root Causes: Quality issues in manufacturing, supply chain problems, or wear in the solid-fuel motor design, though not a basic flaw in the system.

Investigation Steps: ISRO's Failure Analysis Committee will review flight data, test parts like the flex nozzle, and simulate scenarios to find and fix the problem.

What is the History of PSLV Failures and ISRO's Overall Record?

Past PSLV Failures: First in 1993 (partial success), then 1997 (full failure), 2017 (heat shield issue), 2025 (C61), and now 2026 (C62); most involved upper stages or separations.

ISRO's Success Rate: Over 300 satellites launched successfully, with highlights like Chandrayaan-3 moon landing and Aditya-L1 solar mission, but recent failures (five since 2017) often affect secure payloads.

Change in Transparency: Earlier, ISRO shared detailed reports publicly, but now classifies them to protect commercial interests under current leadership.

Commercial Focus: NSIL aims to privatize half of PSLV production, but failures may raise costs and delay this shift.

What Are the Implications of This Failure for India's Space Program?

Loss of Scientific Data: Anvesha's failure delays advanced earth observation for security, like detecting hidden threats, affecting defense strategies.

Economic and Commercial Impact: PSLV earns revenue from global launches; doubts on reliability could increase insurance rates and lose clients to rivals like SpaceX.

Setback for Startups: Lost experiments from Hyderabad firms, like refuelling tech, slow growth in India's private space sector under IN-SPACe.

Broader Concerns: Back-to-back issues question PSLV's design maturity, potentially delaying 2026 missions and raising safety worries for future human flights.

How Can ISRO Recover from This Setback?

Immediate Actions: Ground all PSLV rockets, release findings from the 2025 failure, and strengthen third-stage parts like nozzles before testing.

Long-Term Improvements: Enhance quality checks in production, involve outside experts for reviews, and balance business goals with open science.

Positive Aspects: ISRO's recent successes with LVM-3 show overall strength; focusing on fixes can rebuild trust for ambitions like a space station by 2035.

Learning from Global Examples: Space agencies like NASA have overcome failures (e.g., Challenger shuttle); transparent lessons help build stronger systems.

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