Back-To-Back PSLV Rocket Setbacks For ISRO, 16 Satellites Lost In Space

India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) mission on Monday encountered an anomaly after launch, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirming that a deviation was observed during the rocket's third stage.

ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan said the data is being analysed and that the space agency will share details at the earliest, stopping short of declaring the mission either a success or a failure.

The 64th mission of PSLV, PSLV-C62 carrying EOS-N1, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10:18 am, marking a crucial flight for the launch vehicle after its failure in 2025.
 

Liftoff!

PSLV-C62 launches the EOS-N1 Mission from SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota.

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#PSLVC62 #EOSN1 #ISRO #NSIL

ISRO (@isro) January 12, 2026

The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during end of the PS3 stage. A detailed analysis has been initiated.

— ISRO (@isro) January 12, 2026

Third Stage Deviation After Nominal Start

According to ISRO, the first few minutes of the launch went as planned. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, a four-stage rocket, saw its first and second stages perform nominally.

However, issues cropped up during the third stage, where a deviation was observed in the rocket's trajectory. Dr Narayanan later stated that the mission could not proceed on the expected path, though he refrained from categorising it as either a success or a failure.

Typically, any anomaly in the third stage of the PSLV results in a near-total mission failure.

Comeback Flight After 2025 Failure

PSLV-C62 was intended as a comeback mission for the launch vehicle. In 2025, PSLV had only one launch, which also failed. That failure, too, occurred during the third stage of the rocket, as stated by ISRO at the time.

As per standard procedure, ISRO constituted a failure analysis committee following the 2025 mission. However, the findings of that committee were never made public, leaving the precise cause of the failure unknown.

Despite this, ISRO went ahead with PSLV-C62 as its first launch of 2026.

PSLV-C62 was carrying a total of 16 satellites, including EOS-N1 and a surveillance satellite named Anvesha, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Impact On ISRO And Startups  

If the mission is eventually declared a failure, it would be the fifth failure in 64 PSLV launches. Until its 63rd flight, the PSLV had recorded four failures.

While five failures in 64 launches is not considered a poor record, the outcome would still be a setback for the Indian space programme. The setback extends beyond ISRO. The mission carried satellites from foreign countries, including Brazil, Nepal and the UK.

Indian space startups are also affected. Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space had seven satellites onboard PSLV-C62, making it one of the major commercial stakeholders in the mission.

The PSLV is regarded as a hardy and reliable launch vehicle and is central to India's commercial space ambitions. India is also preparing to launch the first industry-made PSLV through a consortium involving Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Larsen & Toubro.

As of now, ISRO has not officially declared PSLV-C62 a success or a failure. However, Dr Narayanan's statement that the mission could not proceed on the expected path has raised concerns that the flight may not have achieved its objectives.

The outcome, once confirmed, is expected to have significant implications for India's space agency as well as private startups that are increasingly relying on the PSLV for satellite launches.