ISRO faced a setback on Sunday when it couldn’t launch a crucial Earth observation satellite due to a mid-air failure of the PSLV-C61 rocket, just under seven minutes after liftoff. In response, the space agency is diving deep into the issue by forming a National Failure Analysis Committee and conducting a thorough audit of the rocket, ensuring every system is meticulously reviewed.
This committee, which includes over half its members from esteemed institutions like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), is expected to deliver its findings by mid-next month. They’ve already received a wealth of data to work with.
ISRO is also establishing several internal committees to examine every detail of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), known for its impressive reliability of over 94% and only four failures in 63 launches—a remarkable track record.
According to sources within the agency, only the PSLV has been paused for now, as its third stage relies on a solid fuel motor, which is quite unique. The final decision on future launches will hinge on the findings of the National Failure Analysis Committee and the resolution of the identified issues.
To put it in perspective, one expert likened each rocket to a child, saying, “If one child falls down, can you ask the entire village to stop walking?”
Meanwhile, a notice to airmen (NOTAM) has already been issued for the upcoming launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-2, or GSLV F-16, scheduled to take place between June 18 and July 17.
This rocket, once playfully referred to as ‘ISRO’s naughty boy’ but now well-behaved, is gearing up to carry the world’s most expensive civilian Earth imaging satellite, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Satellite, or NISAR, which has been developed collaboratively by India and the US at a staggering cost of $1.5 billion.
Third-Stage Issue, ISRO
The third stage issue has been making headlines lately. NDTV previously reported that a ‘misbehavior’ in the third stage rocket motor might have played a role in the PSLV-C61’s failure during its mission to launch the EOS-9 surveillance satellite.
At the time of the incident, the PSLV-C61 was zipping along at an impressive 20,160 km per hour—roughly 28 times faster than a commercial airplane. Just 6.26 minutes into its nearly 18-minute flight, the rocket began to tumble, about 888 km downrange from Sriharikota over the Indian Ocean.
Experts have clarified that the third stage didn’t explode, as some had speculated. Instead, as the rocket coasted while losing altitude and thrust, it’s likely that the fourth stage was ignited as well. Investigations are ongoing to determine why the rocket motor “misbehaved” a mere 100 seconds after the third stage was ignited. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan mentioned that there was a “fall in the chamber pressure of the motor case.”
Dr. G Madhavan Nair, a former ISRO Chairman and a rocket specialist who played a pivotal role as project director in perfecting the PSLV rocket, suggested that a “possible rupture in the fiber casing of the nearly 8-tonne rocket motor could have caused the failure.” While this remains the primary suspect, all possibilities are being thoroughly examined.
The PSLV is highly sought after on the global stage, and India’s launch site provides a unique advantage to fully leverage its capabilities.
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