An Indian PSLV-C62 rocket carrying 16 payloads, including the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite, veered off course shortly after liftoff from Sriharikota at 10:18 a.m. IST (04:48 GMT). ISRO reported the vehicle performed normally for most of the flight but experienced an unexpected disturbance near the end of the PS3 stage and has launched a detailed investigation. The incident is the second setback for the PSLV in about eight months, affecting a launcher with a historical success rate above 90% across roughly 60 missions.
PSLV-C62 Veers Off Course After Liftoff, Prompting Probe Into ISRO Launch Anomaly
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) logo and Indian flag are seen in this illustration taken, October 10, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Bengaluru, Jan 12 — An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carrying 16 payloads, including the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite, veered off its planned trajectory shortly after liftoff on Monday, dealing a fresh blow to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The PSLV-C62 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sriharikota island at 10:18 a.m. IST (04:48 GMT) with EOS-N1 and 15 additional experiments and cubesats developed by startups and academic institutions in India and overseas. ISRO said mission control saw normal performance for most of the flight before an unexpected disturbance led to a deviation from the intended path.
"The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during the end of the PS3 stage. A detailed analysis has been initiated," ISRO said in a statement, without providing further specifics about the fault or the final status and location of the vehicle.
The incident is the second notable setback for the PSLV in roughly eight months, denting the launcher’s reputation for reliability. Historically, the PSLV has achieved better than a 90% success rate across about 60 missions and has been central to India’s space achievements, including the Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission and the Aditya-L1 solar observatory.
ISRO has launched a detailed investigation to determine the cause of the disturbance during the PS3 stage and to assess the status of on-board payloads. The agency said it will release further findings after completing its analysis.
Why This Matters
The PSLV is a backbone of India’s launch capability and a key enabler of its growing commercial space sector. Any anomaly not only affects scientific and commercial payloads but also raises questions about schedule reliability for future missions and the broader commercialization strategy that depends on consistent launcher performance.
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