Rare Setback for ISRO: EOS-09 Satellite Fails To Reach Orbit After PSLV-C61 Launch Issues

In a rare setback for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the launch of its 101st satellite, EOS-09, aboard the PSLV-C61 rocket ended unsuccessfully on Sunday, May 18. The mission, which took off at 5:59 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, was terminated after the rocket encountered an anomaly during its third stage.

Third Stage Glitch Disrupts Mission

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61), which had performed nominally through the first two stages, encountered unexpected behavior in the third stage, forcing ISRO to abort the mission. “The 101st launch was attempted today. PSLV-C61 performance was normal till the 2nd stage. Due to an observation in the 3rd stage, the mission could not be accomplished,” the space agency said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Addressing viewers during the live broadcast, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan confirmed that the issue had arisen in the third stage, which uses a solid rocket motor meant to deliver high thrust after atmospheric exit. "We are studying the entire performance... We shall come back at the earliest," he added.

EOS-09: A Critical Satellite Lost

The failed mission was intended to place the EOS-09 satellite into a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO). The satellite, equipped with advanced C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, was designed to deliver high-resolution imagery for environmental monitoring, disaster management, and resource tracking, regardless of weather or lighting conditions.

The launch was notable for incorporating sustainability measures, including onboard fuel for safe satellite deorbiting. EOS-09’s loss represents a significant blow to India’s growing earth observation capabilities.

This marks the 63rd flight of a PSLV and the 27th using the PSLV-XL configuration. ISRO has launched 100 PSLV missions successfully prior to this attempt.