India’s space agency ISRO launched its 101st major rocket, PSLV-C61, on Sunday, carrying a modern Earth observation satellite named EOS-09. However, shortly after launch, the mission failed as the satellite could not be placed into its designated orbit, according to Indian media outlet NDTV.
ISRO’s official X (formerly Twitter) account stated that the launch took place as scheduled and the rocket performed normally up to the second stage. However, due to an anomaly in the third stage, the mission could not be completed.
The ISRO Chairman confirmed that everything went smoothly up to the second stage, and said they would review the mission and return stronger.
EOS-09 was designed for sun-synchronous orbit and equipped with advanced C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, enabling it to capture high-resolution images in all weather conditions, day and night. It was expected to enhance India’s surveillance and management capabilities.
This launch marked the 63rd flight of the PSLV rocket and the 27th flight of the PSLV-XL variant. Despite the failure, ISRO emphasized that the PSLV’s reliable performance record remains intact.
Although many families and children came early in the morning to witness the launch at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, it was not open to the general public due to heightened security concerns stemming from India-Pakistan tensions.
A child who traveled from Ranipet told news agency ANI, “We came a long way, but couldn’t see the rocket. Still, I feel proud and excited.” Another visitor who traveled 150 kilometers said, “It’s disappointing not to see the launch, but I’ll come again. I’m passionate about space science and dream of becoming ISRO’s chairman one day.”
