ISRO Suffers Major Setback as PSLV-C62 Mission Fails, 16 Satellites Lost

India's space agency, ISRO, faced a significant setback on January 12, 2026, when the PSLV-C62 mission failed, resulting in the loss of all 16 satellites despite an initially successful launch from Sriharikota. The 260-tonne PSLV-DL rocket lifted off at 10:17 AM IST, performing as expected through its first two stages. However, mission control fell silent following the third-stage ignition, with telemetry data indicating a failure in orbit insertion, reminiscent of the previous year's PSLV-C61 incident. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan stated that while the vehicle performed nominally until the end of the third stage, disturbances in roll rates and deviations in the flight path were observed, prompting an immediate data analysis.

The mission was designed to deploy DRDO's EOS-N1 (Anvesha) satellite for maritime surveillance as the primary payload, along with 15 secondary satellites, including student projects from India, private sector experiments, and Spain's KID re-entry demonstrator. Targeted for a 505 km sun-synchronous orbit, the rocket executed solid booster separation without issues, but anomalies in the third stage emerged approximately eight minutes after liftoff. This led to a confirmed deviation from the planned trajectory, necessitating the formation of a Failure Analysis Committee to investigate the root cause, though no immediate details were released.

This failure echoes the PSLV-C61 mishap from eight months prior, where a similar third-stage pressure drop doomed the EOS-09 satellite. With a storied success rate of 94% across 63 previous flights, including missions like Chandrayaan-1 and Aditya-L1, the PSLV's reliability is now under scrutiny. The unpublished report from the C61 incident has already raised questions about transparency, and the recurrence in C62 points to potential issues with solid-fuel motors, nozzles, or structural integrity, possibly exacerbated by an accelerated launch schedule in 2026.

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The incident poses challenges for commercial rideshares managed by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), potentially eroding confidence in India's burgeoning private space sector. It also threatens ISRO's ambitious 2026 goals, which include deploying over 100 satellites, expanding the NavIC constellation, and preparing for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, especially amid competition from private global players.

Despite the setback, ISRO's modular PSLV design allows for potential quick resolutions, though the agency's opacity may invite parliamentary oversight similar to that seen in 2025. Chairman Narayanan's team has committed to a swift recovery, exploring alternatives like the LVM3 rocket while emphasizing India's commitment to self-reliance in space exploration under international scrutiny.

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