ISRO Faces Setback in India’s Latest Space Mission
Rocket Launched Successfully But Failed Midway
India’s much-anticipated 101st space mission suffered a blow early Sunday. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) failed to place its Earth Observation Satellite, EOS-09, into orbit due to a technical glitch in the third stage of the rocket.
The PSLV-C61 rocket lifted off at 5:59 am IST from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Initially, everything went according to plan. The four-stage Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) performed smoothly up to the second stage.
However, trouble struck during the third stage. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed the failure shortly after liftoff. “The third stage motor started perfectly, but we observed a drop in chamber pressure during its functioning,” he said. “The mission could not be accomplished.”
Satellite Misses Target Orbit
The EOS-09 satellite weighed 1,696 kg and was meant for a Sun-synchronous polar orbit. It was built to provide high-resolution images for agriculture, forestry, disaster response, urban planning, and national security. Its design also included fuel for a controlled de-orbit after its mission life to prevent space debris.
The failure halted India’s efforts to further boost its Earth observation capabilities. The mission was a follow-up to EOS-04, launched in 2022. ISRO had high hopes for EOS-09 to improve India’s satellite imaging network.
Investigation Underway
ISRO officials have begun a detailed analysis of the failure. Engineers are now examining data to identify the root cause of the chamber pressure drop in the third stage. “We will report back with full findings,” said Narayanan.
This was the 63rd launch using the PSLV and the 27th in its XL configuration. The PSLV series has a strong record, making this setback particularly disappointing.
A Setback for India’s Space Plans
The failure comes at a time when India is aiming to expand its presence in space. The country has been focusing on strategic and civilian satellite missions. This includes remote sensing, weather forecasting, and space-based national security tools.
The loss of EOS-09 is a temporary hurdle in ISRO’s growing space program. Still, it raises questions about mission readiness and rocket performance.
Despite the hiccup, ISRO has bounced back from failures before. Experts believe the agency will recover and continue its ambitious space roadmap.
India’s space dreams faced turbulence Sunday morning. While the mission began on a strong note, a glitch in the third stage cut it short. ISRO now faces the task of learning from this failure and preparing for the next launch.
As India eyes global space partnerships and deeper space exploration, every mission matters. The next steps will determine how quickly ISRO regains momentum.
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