BENGALURU: Every rocket launch brings tense moments, even for seasoned space agencies. India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has now failed twice in a row. This development is hard for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to accept, given the rocket's strong track record.
A Proven Workhorse Faces Unprecedented Setbacks
The PSLV has completed 64 missions. Four of these, including Monday's PSLV-C62, failed to place the spacecraft in orbit. One mission in 1997 left the payload in a lower orbit than planned. When a launcher is considered reliable, scrutiny often relaxes. However, consecutive failures demand serious attention. They signal potential structural problems rather than simple misfortune.
These issues could stem from quality control, supply chains, testing protocols, or configuration management. The PSLV-C61 failure last year reduced the rocket's success rate from 95.2% to 93.7%. Monday's failure has pushed it down further.
Morale Takes a Hit at ISRO
ISRO informed TOI that these failures have impacted team morale. A scientist expressed concern, stating, "It would have been different if another launcher failed. A PSLV failure worries us deeply." Analysis indicates that unresolved problems from the May 18, 2025, PSLV-C61 failure might have caused the PSLV-C62 setback.
Both failures involved the PS3, the third stage. This solid motor provides a high-energy boost after the second stage burns out. ISRO has not released the previous failure analysis committee (FAC) report publicly. However, TOI learned there was a drop in chamber pressure of the motor case. Another FAC will now examine the PSLV-C62 failure.
ISRO reported a disturbance in the "roll rate" during the final stages of PS3 burning on Monday. This disturbance caused a deviation in the rocket's path.
Historical Context of PSLV Failures
Failures before 2025 involved different glitches. The first setback occurred on September 20, 1993, with PSLV-D1, the rocket's maiden mission. A guidance system error during the separation of PS2, a liquid stage, caused the failure. ISRO launched again on October 15, 1994. After that, the PSLV performed flawlessly until September 29, 1997.
On that date, the PSLV-C1 mission became a "partial success." A pressure regulator on PS4, which uses twin liquid engines, failed. This resulted in the satellite being placed in a lower-than-intended orbit. The 1997 glitch has not recurred.
Recent Challenges and the Path Forward
The next failure came twenty years later, in August 2017, with the PSLV-C39 mission. A problem with the heat shield caused this failure, which has since been fixed. After PSLV-C39, the launch vehicle achieved 21 successful flights. Then came last year's failure, followed by Monday's incident.
These consecutive failures underscore the need for rigorous investigation. ISRO must address any underlying issues to restore confidence in its flagship rocket. The space agency's reputation and future missions depend on resolving these challenges promptly and transparently.
