The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was unable to accomplish its 101st space mission on Sunday as the PSLV-C61 launch, carrying the EOS-09 earth observation satellite, failed minutes after liftoff.
The PSLV-C61 rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 5:59 a.m. and performed normally through its first two stages. However, an issue was detected during the third stage, causing the mission to be aborted before the satellite could be placed into its intended Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit.
“During the functioning of the third stage, we observed an anomaly. The mission could not be accomplished,” ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said in a brief statement, adding that detailed analysis will follow.
This was the 63rd flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the 27th using its XL configuration.
The EOS-09 satellite, a repeat of the earlier EOS-04, was designed to provide continuous all-weather remote sensing data for applications across multiple sectors. Weighing 1,696 kg, it carried a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload and had a planned mission life of five years.
The failed launch comes as a rare setback for ISRO, known for its reliable PSLV program, and marks only the second time in recent years that a PSLV mission has not succeeded.
