India’s first space launch of 2026, conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), suffered a significant setback on Monday when the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C62) encountered a technical anomaly during its third stage, preventing the rocket from placing its payloads into the intended orbit and raising concerns about the fate of all 16 satellites on board.
The 44.4-metre-tall four-stage PSLV-C62 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at around 10.18 am IST, carrying the primary Earth observation satellite EOS-N1 (also known as Anvesha) along with 15 co-passenger satellites from India and overseas. The mission was part of India’s ongoing efforts to maintain a steady cadence of satellite deployments this year and was expected to reinforce India’s remote-sensing capabilities, benefiting applications ranging from agriculture and forestry to disaster management.
In the initial phases of flight, the rocket’s performance appeared nominal. Both the first and second stages executed as planned, and telemetry indicated that the rocket was ascending smoothly toward its targeted 512-kilometre Sun-synchronous orbit. However, trouble emerged close to the end of the third stage (PS3) burn, which is a solid-propellant segment of the vehicle that provides critical thrust before the final liquid stage takes over.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan addressed the mission control team after the anomaly, explaining that while the vehicle’s early stages behaved as expected, engineers observed “disturbances” near the conclusion of the third stage burn. This was followed by a noticeable deviation in the rocket’s flight path, making it evident that the vehicle could not maintain the precise trajectory required for orbital insertion. “The performance of the vehicle up to the end of the third stage was expected… Close to the end of the third stage we are seeing more disturbance,” Narayanan said. ISRO later confirmed on its official social media handle that a detailed analysis of the flight data had been initiated to identify the exact cause of the anomaly.
As of now, ISRO has not confirmed whether the EOS-N1 and the 15 additional satellites made it into orbit. Telemetry and tracking data from ground stations are being scrutinised to establish the satellites’ status and understand if they survived the deviation from the intended flight profile.
The setback is especially notable because it follows a similar third-stage issue experienced by the PSLV-C61 mission in May 2025, marking consecutive challenges for the long-trusted PSLV family of rockets. Historically known as ISRO’s “workhorse” for reliably ferrying satellites into various Earth orbits – including missions to the Moon and Mars and multi-satellite launches for international clients – the PSLV has enjoyed a high success rate. However, these recent anomalies have prompted questions about potential systemic issues in the solid-fuel third stage that warrant thorough examination.
Despite the unexpected outcome, ISRO officials emphasise that such technical hurdles are part of the complex nature of space missions. The agency has reiterated its commitment to analysing every aspect of the launch data to prevent recurrence and to ensure the robustness of future missions. With a busy launch schedule anticipated in 2026 – spanning scientific, commercial, and strategic payloads – the findings from this investigation will be crucial. The space community and stakeholders await further updates as ISRO continues its evaluation of the PSLV-C62 flight anomaly.
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