Indian satellite launch fails: Details of the PSLV mission stumbling block
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Monday the failure of its latest mission to place an advanced Earth observation satellite, along with 15 other small spacecraft, into their designated orbits. This announcement came after the launch vehicle experienced a sudden technical malfunction that prevented the mission from being successfully completed.
Details of the technical glitch in the PSLV-C62 mission
The agency explained in an official statement via the X platform that the PSLV-C62 mission proceeded normally in its initial stages, but encountered a critical technical malfunction at the end of the third stage of the rocket's deployment. The agency confirmed that a detailed data analysis is currently underway to determine the precise causes of this deviation.
The four-stage rocket launched on its 64th mission at 10:18 a.m. local time (04:48 GMT) from the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sriharikota Island in southeastern India. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S. Sumanath (referred to in the source as V. Narayanan) told national television, "The rocket performed as expected until the end of the third stage's operation, but we detected turbulence and the rocket deviated from its trajectory," without providing immediate details about the fate of the valuable payload it was carrying.
The PSLV rocket's history and the challenges of the space program
This incident follows a similar one on May 18, when a rocket of the same type failed to place another Earth observation satellite into orbit, raising questions about the technical challenges the agency may be facing recently. However, the PSLV rocket has historically been the "workhorse" of the Indian space program, boasting a long track record of consecutive successful launches of domestic and international satellites at globally competitive costs.
Earth observation satellites (EOS) are of paramount strategic importance to India, providing vital data for agriculture, water resource management, and urban planning, as well as playing a pivotal role in natural disaster management and border monitoring, making the loss of this satellite a temporary material and technical loss for the program.
India's space ambitions: between achievements and aspirations
Despite this setback, India remains a major and rapidly rising player in the global space race. In the last decade, New Delhi has achieved remarkable milestones that have placed it among the world's superpowers, most notably the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023, which made India the fourth country to land on the moon and the first to reach its south pole, in addition to its earlier success in placing a probe around Mars on its first attempt in 2014 at a low cost that astonished the world.
India is pursuing an ambitious roadmap, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aiming to launch its first crewed mission to orbit independently by 2027 under the Gaganyaan program. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced a long-term strategic vision that includes establishing an Indian space station and sending an Indian astronaut to land on the moon by 2040, underscoring that setbacks will not deter India from continuing its space exploration journey.
