External team involved in PSLV probe; next launch date in June, says Minister

PSLV Consecutive Failures, External Probe & Recovery — UPSC Study Note

1. At a Glance

• PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) is ISRO's workhorse rocket; two consecutive third-stage failures in 2025–26 mark the worst reliability crisis in its three-decade history. [S1][S2]
• PSLV-C61 (18 May 2025) and PSLV-C62 (12 January 2026) both failed due to third-stage (PS3 — solid fuel stage) ignition/chamber-pressure anomalies. [S1][S2][S3]
• Government response: external/third-party failure-analysis team constituted alongside ISRO's internal committee — a transparency measure unusual for ISRO. [S3]
• Directly relevant to GS-III (Science & Technology, Space Policy) and India's ambition to capture 10% of the global launch market by 2033.

2. Why in the News

• PSLV-C62 failed on 12 January 2026: could not deliver 16 satellites into orbit; rocket crashed into the sea after third-stage non-ignition. [S3]
• This followed the PSLV-C61 failure on 18 May 2025 (101st ISRO launch), in which the third stage's chamber pressure dropped mid-burn, destroying the EOS-09 (RISAT-1B) strategic satellite. [S1][S2]
• Union Minister of State (MoS) Jitendra Singh (Science & Technology, and Space) confirmed at a press briefing (3 February 2026) that an external team is part of the ongoing investigation and that the next PSLV launch is ambitiously targeted for June 2026. [S3]

3. Background & Evolution

• PSLV has four alternating stages: PS1 (solid) → PS2 (liquid, Vikas engine) → PS3 (solid, HTPB-based) → PS4 (liquid). Both failures occurred at PS3.
• Prior to 2025, PSLV had only one partial failure (PSLV-C39, 2017 — heat shield).

4. Core Static Facts

• Full name: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
• Stages: 4 alternating solid-liquid stages; PS3 uses Hydroxyl Terminated Poly-Butadiene (HTPB) solid propellant
• Variants: PSLV-G (standard), PSLV-CA (core alone — no strap-ons), PSLV-XL (extended with 6 strap-ons — used for heavier missions)
• Payload capacity (SSO, 600 km): ~1,750 kg (XL variant)
• Primary orbit type: Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
• Implementing agency: ISRO under Department of Space (DoS), directly under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Science & Technology (space portfolio held by MoS Jitendra Singh as of 2026) [S3]
• Enabling statute: Space Activities Act, 2023 (pending full operationalization); earlier governed under the Outer Space Treaty (1967) obligations
• EOS-09 (RISAT-1B): C-band synthetic aperture radar satellite intended for strategic/defence reconnaissance; part of the Earth Observation Satellite series [S1]
• PSLV-C61 was ISRO's 101st launch [S1]
• PSLV-C62 was tasked with placing 16 satellites into orbit [S3]
• 18 launches scheduled for 2026, including 6 private-sector commercial payloads [S3]
• 3 major foreign launches (including Japan) scheduled for 2027 [S3]
• No commercial customer has withdrawn satellite launch contracts post-failures [S3]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Scientific / Technological

• Both failures traced to PS3 (third solid stage) — a significant design/manufacturing quality-control concern; chamber pressure drop in C-61 identified as root cause. [S1][S2]
• Bringing in a third-party external team signals that ISRO is adopting international best practices of independent failure review boards (similar to NASA's MIB — Mission Investigation Board model). [S3]
• Consecutive failures of the same stage raise questions about solid propellant batch quality control, grain inspection, and thermal management in storage.

Economic

• India aims for a $44 billion global space economy share by 2033 (target: ~10% of global market).
• Two launch failures in eight months risk revenue loss from commercial manifest (international satellite customers); however, the fact that none have withdrawn suggests brand resilience. [S3]
• IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) face downstream commercial implications.

Strategic / Geopolitical

• EOS-09 (RISAT-1B), lost in C-61, was a dual-use (strategic) SAR satellite critical for defence reconnaissance, border surveillance, and disaster monitoring. [S1]
• The gap in SAR coverage weakens India's ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) capability at a time of heightened border sensitivity.
• India competes with SpaceX Falcon 9, Arianespace, JAXA, and Rocket Lab for the small-satellite launch market; reliability is the primary differentiator.

Administrative / Governance

• Use of an external/independent failure review team is a governance upgrade — enhances transparency and public/customer confidence. [S3]
• MoS Jitendra Singh's public communication at a press briefing (3 Feb 2026) reflects improved crisis communication compared to past ISRO norms. [S3]
• Failure analysis report for C-61 was submitted to the PMO — indicating direct executive oversight. [S2]

Ethical / Governance

• ISRO's credibility hinges on maintaining "trust intact" among commercial clients even amid failures; the Minister's statement that no client withdrew is a key trust indicator. [S3]
• Transparency with an external audit team sets a precedent for accountability in public-sector space programmes.

6. Recent Developments (Last 12–18 Months)

• 18 May 2025: PSLV-C61 fails; EOS-09/RISAT-1B lost; chamber pressure drop in PS3 identified; this was ISRO's 101st launch. [S1]
• August 2025: Failure analysis committee report for C-61 finalized and submitted to PMO. [S2]
• 12 January 2026: PSLV-C62 fails; 16 satellites lost; identical PS3 non-ignition. [S3]
• 3 February 2026: MoS Jitendra Singh holds press briefing confirming external investigation team, June 2026 relaunch target, 18 launches planned for 2026, no customer withdrawals. [S3]

7. Prelims Hooks

1. PSLV-C61 was ISRO's 101st launch mission (May 18, 2025). [S1]
2. EOS-09 (also designated RISAT-1B) is a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite — lost in the PSLV-C61 failure. [S1]
3. Both PSLV-C61 (2025) and PSLV-C62 (2026) failures occurred at the third stage (PS3 — solid propellant stage). [S1][S2]
4. The PS3 stage of PSLV uses Hydroxyl Terminated Poly-Butadiene (HTPB) as solid propellant.
5. PSLV-C62 was tasked with placing 16 satellites into orbit before failing on 12 January 2026. [S3]
6. The Minister who announced the external probe and June 2026 relaunch target was Jitendra Singh, MoS for Science & Technology and Space (not the full Cabinet Minister). [S3]
7. ISRO functions under the Department of Space, which is directly under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). [S2]
8. ISRO has scheduled 18 launches in 2026, of which 6 involve private sector satellites. [S3]
9. 3 major foreign launches (including from Japan) are scheduled for 2027. [S3]
10. An independent/external third-party team was constituted for investigating consecutive PSLV failures — a first in ISRO's history in this context. [S3]
11. PSLV holds the record for launching 104 satellites in a single mission (PSLV-C37, 2017).
12. The space policy framework is governed by the Space Activities Act, 2023 and India's obligations under the Outer Space Treaty (1967).
13. Commercial/promotional launch services by ISRO are routed through NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
14. The PSLV-C61 failure analysis report was submitted to the PMO (not Ministry of Science & Technology). [S2]

8. Mains Relevance

Plausible Mains question stems: 1. "Consecutive PSLV failures in 2025–26 have raised questions about quality control in ISRO's solid propellant stages. Critically examine the institutional mechanisms for failure analysis and the implications for India's commercial space ambitions." 2. "Evaluate the significance of involving external/independent teams in investigating failures of national space launch vehicles. What lessons can India draw from international practices such as NASA's Mission Investigation Board?" 3. "India's space economy target of capturing 10% of the global market by 2033 hinges on launch reliability. Analyse the structural and policy challenges ISRO faces in ensuring consistent PSLV performance in an era of increasing private competition."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

1. Wrong stage: Aspirants may confuse PSLV's four stages. Both 2025–26 failures occurred at PS3 (third, solid stage) — NOT PS2 (liquid, Vikas engine) or PS4.
2. Wrong ministry: ISRO/Department of Space is under the PMO directly, not under the Ministry of Science & Technology — though the MoS for Science & Technology holds the Space portfolio as a combined charge.
3. EOS-09 ≠ remote sensing only: EOS-09 (RISAT-1B) is a strategic/dual-use satellite (SAR, C-band) with defence applications — not a civilian weather/crop satellite.
4. PSLV-C37 record confusion: The 104-satellite record was in 2017 (PSLV-C37), not a recent mission; do not conflate with the 16-satellite C-62 mission.
5. NSIL vs. IN-SPACe: NSIL (NewSpace India Limited) is the commercial arm of ISRO handling satellite launches for commercial clients. IN-SPACe is the regulatory/promotional authority for private players. These are frequently confused in MCQs.

11. Sources

• [S1] PSLV-C61 / EOS-09 Mission — https://www.isro.gov.in/Mission_PSLV_C61_EOS_09.html — (Tier 1: isro.gov.in)
• [S2] PSLV-C62 / EOS-N1 Mission — https://www.isro.gov.in/Mission_PSLV_C62.html — (Tier 1: isro.gov.in)
• [S3] Article: "External team involved in PSLV probe; next launch date in June, says Minister" — The Hindu, 3 February 2026, by Jacob Koshy — https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2026-02-03/th_international/articleGOJFHF9VR-13353897.ece — (Tier 4: thehindu.com)

Note: All facts are cited inline. Tier 1 (isro.gov.in) sources confirm mission identities and failure sequence; the article [S3] is the primary source for the February 2026 ministerial statements, external probe confirmation, and relaunch timeline.