ISRO’s PSLV-C62 Mission Ends in Failure After Third-Stage Anomaly, 16 Satellites Lost

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India’s PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission, which took place on Monday, January 12, 2026, ended in failure. The mission was intended to launch 16 satellites, including EOS-N1 and 15 co-passenger satellites, all of which were lost despite a successful liftoff from Sriharikota. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at around 10:17 am IST, marking India’s first space mission of 2026.

The first two stages and the stage separation performed as expected and captivated viewers across the country. However, silence gripped mission control after the ignition of the third stage, with no telemetry updates confirming successful orbit insertion.

“The performance of the vehicle up to the end of the third stage was as expected. Close to the end of the third stage, we are seeing a little more disturbance in the vehicle roll rates, and subsequently, a deviation was observed in the flight path. We are analysing the data, and we shall come back at the earliest,” ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said in a statement. Later, ISRO confirmed in a post on X that the PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during the end of the PS3 stage and that a detailed analysis had been initiated.

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The PSLV-C62 mission was the ninth commercial mission undertaken by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm. It was also the 64th mission of the PSLV and a crucial flight following the failure in 2025. The mission was intended to place the primary payload, EOS-N1, along with 15 co-passenger satellites, into a 505-km Sun Synchronous Orbit.

The primary payload, EOS-N1 (also referred to as Anvesha), is an Earth observation and maritime surveillance satellite developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Alongside EOS-N1, the mission carried satellites developed by Indian startups, academic institutions, and international partners.

Among the co-passengers was the Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID), a small-scale prototype re-entry vehicle developed by a Spanish startup. The mission plan involved restarting the fourth stage (PS4) after satellite deployment to de-boost the stage, place it on a re-entry trajectory, and enable the controlled re-entry and splashdown of both the PS4 stage and the KID capsule in the South Pacific Ocean.

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ISRO confirmed that while solid booster separation was flawless, a deviation in the flight path was observed during the third stage, preventing the satellites from being placed into orbit. A Failure Analysis Committee will now investigate the root cause, though no immediate disclosure has been made.

The setback poses challenges for NSIL’s commercial launch portfolio, potentially affecting confidence among domestic and international customers and impacting India’s growing private space ecosystem. The PSLV-C62 mission was particularly significant for private participation, with Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space contributing seven satellites, making it a major stakeholder in the mission.

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said the agency remains committed to a rapid recovery, with teams analysing data and exploring alternatives.

[VP]

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