PSLV-C62 MISSION
1. Context
On January 12, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) PSLV-C62 mission lifted off from Sriharikota carrying the EOS-N1 satellite along with 15 co-passenger satellites. Within minutes, ISRO said the mission had “encountered an anomaly during end of the PS3 stage”, and that a detailed analysis was initiated.
2. What is PSLV - C62 Mission?
- The PSLV-C62 mission refers to a launch conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) using its trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
- In simple terms, it was a space mission where India sent satellites into orbit using one of its most reliable rockets, often called the “workhorse of ISRO.”
- PSLV-C62 was carried out to place a scientific satellite into space for studying Earth’s atmosphere and near-space environment.
- The main payload of this mission was the XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), which is India’s first dedicated space observatory to study polarisation of X-rays coming from extreme cosmic sources like black holes and neutron stars.
- By observing how X-rays behave in these intense regions of the universe, scientists can better understand the structure, behavior, and physical processes of such exotic objects.
- The rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, following a precisely calculated path to place the satellite into a low Earth orbit.
- Once in orbit, the satellite separated from the rocket and began its mission of collecting data and sending it back to scientists on Earth for analysis.
- What makes the PSLV-C62 mission especially significant is that it marked India’s entry into advanced space-based X-ray astronomy, a field dominated by only a few space agencies worldwide.
- It showcased ISRO’s growing capability not just in launching satellites, but also in developing sophisticated scientific instruments for deep space research.
3. About Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
- PSLV, or the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, is one of India’s most successful and reliable space rockets, developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- It is often described as the “workhorse of ISRO” because of its long track record of consistently placing satellites into space with high precision.
- The PSLV was designed primarily to launch satellites into polar and Sun-synchronous orbits, which are special types of Earth orbits where a satellite passes over the same part of the Earth at the same local time every day.
- This makes it extremely useful for Earth observation, weather monitoring, mapping, and reconnaissance, as the lighting conditions remain consistent for imaging.
- Structurally, the PSLV is a four-stage rocket, meaning it has four main sections that fire one after the other as it climbs into space.
- These stages alternate between solid and liquid fuel engines, combining the simplicity and power of solid motors with the controllability and precision of liquid propulsion.
- This design gives PSLV both strength and accuracy, which is crucial for placing satellites into their exact target orbits.
- One of the reasons PSLV is internationally respected is its remarkable success rate. Since its first successful mission in the 1990s, it has launched hundreds of satellites for India and many other countries.
- A landmark moment came in 2017, when PSLV set a world record by launching 104 satellites in a single mission, demonstrating its capability to deploy multiple payloads in a highly coordinated and precise manner.
- Over the years, PSLV has been used for some of India’s most important space missions. It launched Chandrayaan-1, India’s first mission to the Moon, and the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), which made India the first country to reach Mars orbit on its first attempt.
- These achievements showed that PSLV is not only reliable for Earth missions, but also capable of supporting ambitious interplanetary exploration
4. ISRO Missions List
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has carried out a wide range of missions that can broadly be understood across Earth observation, communication, navigation, scientific exploration, and interplanetary research.
- Together, these missions reflect how India’s space program has grown from focusing on national development to becoming a global player in space science and exploration.
- In the field of Earth observation, ISRO has launched several satellite series that help in agriculture, disaster management, weather forecasting, and resource mapping.
- The IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) satellites, such as Cartosat, Resourcesat, Oceansat, and RISAT, provide high-resolution images and data that support urban planning, flood monitoring, and climate studies. These satellites form the backbone of India’s ability to monitor its land, oceans, and atmosphere from space.
- For communication and broadcasting, ISRO operates the INSAT and GSAT series. These satellites support television broadcasting, mobile communication, internet services, telemedicine, and weather services across India. They play a vital role in connecting remote and rural regions, especially during emergencies and natural disasters.
- In the area of navigation, ISRO developed its own regional satellite navigation system called NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation).
- This system provides accurate positioning and timing services for India and the surrounding region, similar to how GPS works globally, but designed specifically for Indian needs such as transportation, fisheries, and disaster response.
- ISRO has also made a strong mark in space science and astronomy. Missions like AstroSat, India’s first space-based observatory, study distant stars, galaxies, and black holes across multiple wavelengths.
- The XPoSat mission focuses on understanding high-energy cosmic sources by measuring X-ray polarization, adding to India’s growing role in advanced astrophysics research.
- When it comes to planetary and interplanetary exploration, ISRO has achieved global recognition.
- Chandrayaan-1 discovered evidence of water molecules on the Moon. Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 further explored the lunar surface, with Chandrayaan-3 making history by achieving a successful soft landing near the Moon’s south pole.
- The Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) placed India among a small group of nations to reach Mars orbit, and notably did so on its very first attempt.
- More recently, Aditya-L1, India’s first solar mission, was launched to study the Sun from a special observation point in space, helping scientists understand solar storms and their impact on Earth.
- ISRO has also been preparing for human spaceflight through the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts, or “Gagannauts,” into low Earth orbit aboard an indigenous spacecraft. This marks a major step toward India becoming one of the few countries capable of independent human space missions
5. PSLV- C61 Mission
- ISRO’s PSLV-C61 mission was launched with the EOS-09 satellite as its primary payload. The launch progressed normally through the initial two stages, but a malfunction occurred during the third stage, which failed to operate as expected.
- ISRO later reported that there was a decline in pressure inside the third-stage motor chamber while PS3 was active, leading the agency to announce that the mission did not achieve its intended objective.
- From the information released so far, both the C61 and C62 missions experienced critical issues during the PS3 phase after an otherwise stable ascent, preventing their satellites from being placed into their planned orbits, with only limited success in the case of the KID payload.
- In the C62 mission, the primary issue identified was an unexpected roll motion toward the end of the third-stage burn, whereas in C61, the failure was linked to a pressure loss in the PS3 motor casing
6. Way forward
After the incident, Thailand’s space agency GISTDA, which had the THEOS-2A satellite aboard PSLV-C62, stated that a fault occurring toward the end of the third-stage operation led to a problem with the rocket’s attitude control system. This caused the launch vehicle to stray from its intended flight path, making it impossible to release the satellites it was carrying. GISTDA added that both the rocket and the onboard payloads were expected to re-enter the atmosphere and disintegrate over the southern Indian Ocean. The nature of this malfunction was similar to what had been observed before the PSLV-C61 failure on May 18, 2025.
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For Prelims: PSLV, GSLV, GSLV Mk-III, SSLV
For Mains: GS III- Science & Technology- Satellite Applications, Challenges and Solutions
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Previous Year Questions
1. With reference to India's satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2018)
1. PSLVs launch satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.
2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
3. GSLV Mk III is a four- staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3
C. 1 and 2
D. 3 only
Answer: A
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Source: The Hindu
