On 18th May the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) experienced a significant setback with the launch of its 101st mission, PSLV-C61, which was intended to deploy the EOS-09 Earth observation satellite. The mission, aimed at placing the satellite into a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO), was disrupted when a technical malfunction occurred during the third stage of the launch vehicle.
The PSLV-C61 successfully lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Initial stages of the mission proceeded as planned, with both the first and second stages performing normally. However, an unexpected issue arose during the operation of the third stage, which is powered by a solid rocket motor designed to deliver high thrust during ascent through the upper atmosphere.
ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan provided insights into the incident, explaining that while the third stage’s motor ignited correctly; an anomaly was detected shortly thereafter, leading to the failure of the mission. “Today, we attempted the 101st launch from Sriharikota. The PSLV-C61 carrying the EOS-09 mission performed normally up until the second stage, but we could not complete the mission due to an observation in the third stage,” D. Narayanan stated during a post-launch briefing.
The EOS-09 satellite, weighing approximately 1,710 kg, was designed to enhance the availability of remote sensing data for various applications, including border surveillance, national security, and agriculture, forestry, and disaster management. Its purpose was to provide continuous and reliable data, improving observational frequencies for operational users engaged in these sectors.
The successful deployment of EOS-09 was critical for advancing India’s capabilities in Earth observation, which plays a vital role in addressing various socio-economic challenges. The satellite was projected to improve decision-making processes for state agencies and the agricultural community by providing critical data for monitoring crops, climate variations, and natural disasters.
In response to the anomaly, ISRO stated that they would conduct a thorough analysis to determine the cause of the failure. Dr. Narayanan emphasized the organisation’s commitment to learning from this setback, indicating that further missions would be meticulously planned based on findings from the investigation of the PSLV-C61’s third stage malfunction.
The PSLV has an illustrious history, being lauded for its reliability and versatility, which has included over 100 successful launches prior to this incident. With a firm belief in the resilience of their engineering team, ISRO plans to use this experience to enhance future missions, reaffirming their goal of advancing India’s space exploration and satellite deployment capabilities.
-Raja Aditya
