PSLV-C62 deviates from flight path after anomaly

SRiharikota : Isro’s PSLV-C62 skyrocket carrying 16 satellites, including a strange ground reflexion payload, failed to localize them in the intended orbit after encountering an “anomaly” in the critical third stage of the launch on Monday. “Disturbances in the rocket and later deviation from the flight path were observed when strap-on motors were providing thrust during the flight’s third stage to propel the vehicle to the intended altitude”, V Narayanan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, said, adding a detailed analysis has been initiated to identify the cause.The mission to place the satellites in the intended orbit could not be achieved, and all 16 satellites were lost in space, people familiar with the matter said, adding that this was the second consecutive PSLV mission failure during the third stage.A similar, previous attempt in May 2025 (PSLV-C61-EOS-09) also did not succeed due to a “motor pressure issue,” and there was a fall in the chamber pressure of the motor case.Among the satellites lost were DRDO’s Anvesha, a strategic super-eye to unmask military camouflage from nearly 500 km, AayulSAT, India’s first in-orbit fuelling satellite, and CGUSAT, a small, student-developed Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite designed primarily for emergency communication and disaster management.The Earth Observation satellite was built jointly by Thailand and the UK.The PSLV-C62 also carried KID, or Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator from a Spanish startup that was a small-scale prototype of a re-entry vehicle. A former top Isro scientist said it would take some time for the space agency to collect data, analyse, understand what happened, and make necessary corrections. It is expected that Isro will officially release the findings in the days to come, he told PTI, requesting anonymity.To a query, he said, “it is a setback as the satellites did not reach the intended orbit and all satellites lost in space maybe drifting as space debris.”As the 22.5-hour countdown concluded on Monday morning, the 44.4 metre tall four-stage rocket lifted off as scheduled at 10.18 am from the spaceport here. The mission was to deploy a primary Earth Observation satellite and multiple co-passenger satellites into a 512 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit, after a flight journey of about 17 minutes.The initial phases of the flight proceeded according to plan.However, after the announcement that the “third stage ignited”, an uneasy calm took over the Mission Control Centre.In his address at the centre, Narayanan said: “The PSLV is a four-stage vehicle with two solid stages and two liquid stages. The performance of the vehicle up to the end of the third stage was expected. Close to the end of the third stage, we are seeing more disturbance in the vehicle, and subsequently, there was a deviation observed in the flight path.” Confirming the mission’s failure on its ‘X’ handle, Isro said, “The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during the end of PS3 (third stage) of the vehicle. A detailed analysis has been initiated.”