PSLV-C62 strays from flight path, fails to launch satellite

PSLV-C62 strays from flight path, fails to launch satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s PSLV-C62 mission carrying the EOS-N1 earth observation satellite and 15 co-passenger satellites failed to finish its intended trajectory on Monday after an anomaly was detected during the end of the third stage of the launch vehicle, resulting in the loss of the satellites and prompting a detailed analysis.

The PSLV-C62 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10.18 a.m. on Monday. The launch of the vehicle, which has four stages, went as expected till the third stage, but showed “disturbance in the vehicle roll rates” close to the end of the third stage, ISRO chairman V. Narayanan said. “The performance of the vehicle up to the end of the third stage was as expected. Close to the end of the third stage, we saw some disturbance in the vehicle roll rates, and subsequently, a deviation was observed in the flight path. We are analysing the data, and we shall come back at the earliest,” Mr. Narayanan said.

Monday’s outcome is seen as a big setback for the space agency as the PSLV, its workhorse rocket, has suffered back-to-back failures now.

On May 18, 2025, ISRO’s attempted launch of the EOS-09 satellite aboard the PSLV-C61 mission could not be completed, also due to an anomaly in the third stage of the rocket. The EOS-N1 earth observation satellite is said to be built for strategic purposes.

“It is a commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). EOS-N1 and 14 co-passenger satellites will be injected into a Sun Synchronous Orbit, and the KID Capsule into a re-entry trajectory,” ISRO had said in a statement.

It added that after the injection of the EOS-N1 and 14 satellites, the PS4 stage would be restarted to de-boost and enter a re-entry trajectory, followed by the KID Capsule separation.

“Both PS4 stage and KID capsule will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and the impact will be in the South Pacific Ocean,” the statement added.

Financial fallout

The financial burden for the satellites lost in the failed PSLV-C62 mission falls on different parties, depending on the nature of the satellite. In the space industry, there is no single payer for a failed mission; instead, the loss is absorbed by a mix of state funding and insurance claims. Governments typically do not purchase commercial insurance for their own strategic or military satellites because the premiums are very high. In the present instance, the direct financial loss of the EOS-N1 satellite, developed by DRDO, will be borne by the state, and DRDO may have to seek fresh budgetary approval to build a replacement.

The co-passenger satellites from private enterprises, including Indian startups and international entities, would have purchased policies that pay out a lump sum in the event of a ‘total loss’ during the launch phase. If a specific entity didn’t purchase insurance, that company must absorb the total loss itself.

The NSIL is likely to have had contracts with the private customers. While the NSIL generally doesn’t pay for the satellite itself, the contract might include a re-flight guarantee or a refund of the launch fee if the mission fails. This said, the ISRO or NSIL is not liable for the value of the customer’s satellite unless gross negligence is proven, which is rare. The standard industry practice is a ‘waiver of liability’ where both the launcher and the satellite owner agree not to sue each other for damages.