ISRO’s Launches PSLV-C61 Mission But Fails to Deploy EOS-09 Satellite
India’s 101st satellite mission suffered a setback on Sunday as ISRO’s PSLV-C61 failed to place the EOS-09 satellite into orbit due to a third-stage malfunction.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed on Sunday that its 101st satellite launch, aimed at deploying the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-09, could not be accomplished after a technical anomaly during the third stage of flight.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61) lifted off at 5:59 am IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Initial stages of the mission proceeded as planned, but ISRO detected an issue during the third stage, prompting an immediate termination of the mission.
“Today, the 101st launch was attempted. PSLV-C61 performance was normal till the 2nd stage. Due to an observation in the 3rd stage, the mission could not be accomplished,” ISRO said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Addressing the nation via a livestream, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan elaborated on the failure: “The vehicle is a four-stage vehicle. The first two stages performed as expected. During the third stage, we are seeing an observation…The mission could not be accomplished. We are studying the entire performance, and we shall come back at the earliest.”
The third stage, a solid rocket motor crucial for high-thrust propulsion after atmospheric exit, is designed to produce a maximum thrust of 240 kilonewtons. The precise nature of the anomaly is currently under analysis by mission scientists.
The failed mission was intended to place EOS-09, an advanced Earth observation satellite equipped with C-band synthetic aperture radar, into a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO). The radar technology allows imaging in all weather conditions, day or night, enhancing India’s capabilities in agriculture monitoring, disaster management, border surveillance, and resource tracking.
EOS-09 was also designed with a deorbiting fuel mechanism to enable safe disposal post-mission, aligning with ISRO’s push for sustainable and responsible space practices.
This launch marked the 63rd flight of the PSLV and the 27th using the PSLV-XL configuration. Prior to Sunday, the PSLV had achieved a streak of successful missions, cementing its status as a workhorse for India’s satellite launches.
