ISRO's PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission failed to reach the intended orbit

The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) first PSLV-C62 of the year, carrying the Earth observation satellite EOS-N1, failed to reach its intended orbit just 10 minutes after lift-off on January 12, 2026.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) first launch of the year ran into trouble just 10 minutes after lift-off on January 12, 2026, and failed to reach its intended orbit.
• 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).
• In its more than three-decade history, this is the first time that the PSLV rocket has failed consecutively twice. This mission also had eight satellites of foreign countries including Thailand, Spain, Brazil, Nepal and the UK.

Previous failed mission

• In its last flight in May last year, PSLV-C61, which was carrying another Earth observation satellite EOS-09, also encountered problems during the third stage, and it failed to reach its designated orbit.
• The PSLV rocket, which uses two solid-fuel stages and two liquid-fuel stages, has been one of the space agency's most reliable vehicles, having failed only four times in its 64 missions including flights.
• This is the second consecutive year that ISRO's first launch of the year has failed. In January last year, a mission carrying a navigational satellite NVS-02, which used the much heavier GSLV rocket, failed after a problem during orbit raising.

Foreign satellites

• The main payload of the PSLV-C62 mission was an Earth observation satellite named Theos-2 which was jointly developed by Thailand and the United Kingdom (UK). It had 14 other co-passenger satellites, including a technology demonstration from Nepal and India and the re-entry capsule of KID or Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator developed by a Spanish startup.

NSIL

• This launch was the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the 9th dedicated commercial mission conducted by New Space India Limited (NSIL).
• NSIL, which was incorporated in 2019, is a wholly government-owned company under the administrative control of the Department of Space and is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

About PSLV

• A third-generation launch vehicle and the first Indian launch vehicle equipped with liquid stages. It has consistently delivered satellites into low Earth orbits, and can carry up to 1,750 kilograms of payload into 600 km high sun-synchronous polar orbits.

Stages in PSLV

• First stage: Uses S139 solid rocket motor augmented by 6 solid strap-on boosters.
• Second stage: Uses an earth-storable liquid rocket engine known as the Vikas engine, developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
• Third stage: Solid rocket motor that provides high thrust to the upper stages.
• Fourth stage: The uppermost stage of the PSLV, which includes two earth-storable liquid engines.