ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission, touted for advancing remote sensing capabilities, stumbled due to a third-stage technical issue. Chairman S Somanath promptly launched an inquiry team to dissect the failure and safeguard future launches.
From the countdown to initial ascent, the 44th flight of PSLV was textbook. The snag hit during the critical third phase, where the stage underperformed, leading to suboptimal payload insertion. Ground controllers noted pressure drops and thrust vector anomalies via S-band tracking.
Salvage efforts paid off for micro-satellites, which deployed successfully albeit in elliptical paths. The full dataset—over terabytes from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre—is under forensic analysis. Theories range from ignition delays to composite material fatigue in the motor.
PSLV’s legacy as a 90+ mission veteran remains intact, fueling successes from IRS series to foreign satellite rideshares. This episode calls for enhanced redundancy in stage-three tech, amid ISRO’s push towards semi-cryogenic engines.
Somanath’s update calmed concerns, projecting a quick turnaround. With NavIC expansion and Aditya-L1 triumphs fresh, ISRO’s resilience shines. The probe’s outcomes will refine protocols, propelling India deeper into the cosmos.