Isro’s PSLV-C62 mission fails, second rare setback in eight months for workhorse launcher

 

India’s space programme suffered a significant blow on January 12, 2026, after Isro’s PSLV-C62 mission failed to place its payloads into orbit, resulting in the loss of all 16 satellites onboard despite a flawless start from Sriharikota.

The 260-tonne PSLV-DL rocket lifted off at 10:17 am IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and performed as expected through the first and second stages, including successful booster separation. The early phase of the flight unfolded smoothly, drawing widespread attention as the vehicle climbed steadily on its planned trajectory.

Trouble emerged after the ignition of the third stage. Mission control lost telemetry shortly thereafter, confirming that the rocket failed to achieve orbital insertion, a setback that closely resembled the PSLV-C61 failure reported last year.

“The performance of the vehicle at the end of the third stage was nominal, and then a disturbance in roll rates and a deviation in flight path was noticed. We are analysing the data, and we will come back with more updates,” Isro chairman V. Narayanan said, acknowledging the anomaly.

Mission objectives cut short

PSLV-C62 was tasked with deploying DRDO’s EOS-N1 (Anvesha) satellite as its primary payload, designed for maritime surveillance, along with 15 co-passenger satellites. These included student-built payloads from Indian institutions, experimental satellites from private firms, and Spain’s KID re-entry demonstrator. The mission was targeting a 505-kilometre sun-synchronous orbit.

While the vehicle cleared solid booster separation without issues, anomalies in the third stage halted the mission roughly eight minutes after liftoff. Officials confirmed that the rocket deviated from its intended flight path, leading to a complete mission loss.

Isro said a Failure Analysis Committee would be constituted to examine the incident, though no immediate details on the root cause were disclosed.

Second failure raises red flags

The PSLV-C62 setback marks the second failure of the workhorse launcher in eight months, denting its long-held reliability record of over 94 per cent success across 63 missions. The rocket has historically been central to India’s space achievements, including Chandrayaan-1 and Aditya-L1.

The similarity between the C62 failure and the earlier PSLV-C61 anomaly — which involved a third-stage chamber pressure drop — has raised concerns about solid-fuel motor performance, nozzle integrity or casing reliability. The absence of a publicly released report following the C61 incident has also fuelled questions around transparency.

The back-to-back failures could have wider implications for Isro’s 2026 launch schedule, including commercial rideshare missions managed by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), planned NavIC expansion and preparations for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. Confidence among private and international customers may also take a hit.

Isro officials, however, signalled confidence in the PSLV’s modular design and corrective capability, with alternative launch options under review as the agency works to stabilise its launch cadence amid growing global scrutiny.