India’s first orbital launch of 2026 ended unsuccessfully after a malfunction struck the third stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, marking a second consecutive failure for the country’s long-reliable workhorse rocket.
The mission, designated PSLV-C62, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:18:30 a.m. IST (0448:30 UTC). Onboard were 16 satellites, including an Earth observation spacecraft for NewSpace India Limited and 15 international rideshare payloads. All were lost following the anomaly.
The PSLV-C62 rocket lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre carrying the EOS-N1 Earth observing satellite along with 15 other rideshare satellites. The four-stage rocket suffered an anomaly with its third stage.
According to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the launch proceeded normally through the early phases of flight. The rocket’s third stage ignited 264.2 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of about 220 kilometers. For roughly the next 110 seconds, telemetry appeared nominal.
“The performance of the vehicle, up to close to the end of the third stage, was as expected,” said ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan in a post-launch briefing. “Close to the end of the third stage, we were seeing a little more disturbance in the vehicle roll rates, and subsequently there was a deviation observed in the flight path.”
Live broadcast graphics soon showed the third stage beginning to spin while its engine was still firing, a sign of a serious control issue. Third-stage burnout was announced at around 396 seconds after liftoff, when the vehicle had reached an altitude of roughly 346 kilometers. Mission graphics later indicated third-stage separation at 494.3 seconds and a planned fourth-stage ignition at 505 seconds, but an onboard camera view displayed in the launch control center appeared to show the vehicle tumbling, confirming the loss of mission control.
ISRO officials said a “detailed analysis” has been initiated to determine the precise cause of the failure, with engineers now reviewing flight data and onboard imagery.
The setback is particularly significant because it mirrors the previous PSLV mission, PSLV-C61, which flew in May 2025 and also suffered a problem involving the rocket’s third stage. With two consecutive anomalies affecting the same segment of the vehicle, the investigation is expected to closely scrutinize the solid-fuel third stage’s design, manufacturing, and operational conditions.
The four-stage PSLV uses a mixed propulsion architecture: solid-fuel first and third stages paired with liquid-fueled second and fourth stages. Since its debut in September 1993, the rocket has flown in multiple configurations and built a strong reputation, achieving 58 fully successful missions with payloads delivered to their intended orbits.
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