PSLV-C62 carrying 16 satellites goes off track in setback for India’s space program
India’s PSLV-C62 rocket, launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, went off course after lift-off on Monday, carrying 16 payloads including the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite. The rocket performed normally initially, but an anomaly during the PS3 stage caused it to deviate from its planned trajectory.
This marks the second significant setback for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in less than eight months, affecting the launch vehicle’s reputation for reliability. With a history of over 60 missions and more than 90% success rate, the PSLV has been central to India’s space achievements, including Chandrayaan-1 and the Aditya-L1 solar observatory.
ISRO has initiated a detailed investigation to identify the cause of the anomaly. The incident highlights the risks of space exploration and the challenges faced by India’s space program as it continues to support startups, academic research, and private industry in satellite development.
