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Introduction

On January 12, 2026, the PSLV-C62 mission encountered a critical third-stage anomaly shortly after liftoff from Sriharikota, resulting in the loss of 16 satellites, including DRDO’s strategic EOS-N1 (Anvesha). This event, mirroring the PSLV-C61 failure in May 2025, marks the first consecutive failure of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in its 30-year history.

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Impact on India’s Space Programme

• Institutional Reliability Crisis: Successive failures in the mature PS3 solid stage raise concerns regarding quality control and supply chain integrity rather than mere design flaws.
  Eg: The Failure Analysis Committee (FAC) is investigating the drop in chamber pressure, a repeat issue from the 2025 C61 mission.
• Strategic Capability Delay: The loss of the EOS-N1 hyperspectral imaging satellite significantly delays the enhancement of India’s maritime and border surveillance capabilities.
  Eg: Military modernization efforts are hindered as strategic eyes in space must now wait for a replacement launch.
• Launch Cadence Disruption: To ensure safety, ISRO may have to ground the PSLV fleet, potentially delaying other ambitious 2026 targets including Gaganyaan’s unmanned missions.
  Eg: High-profile missions like the NavIC expansion face rescheduling risks due to the need for a total systemic audit.
• Erosion of Transparency: The non-publication of previous failure reports has led to parliamentary and public scrutiny over ISRO’s internal accountability mechanisms.

Impact on Commercial Satellite Ambitions

• Trust Deficit for NSIL: As a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the failure dents India’s reputation as a reliable, cost-effective global “launch hub.”
  Eg: Foreign customers from the UK and Brazil lost critical payloads, which could lead to a shift toward competitors like SpaceX or Rocket Lab.
• Blow to Space Startups: Emerging Indian startups like Dhruva Space and OrbitAID lost pioneering technology demonstrators, setting back their commercial timelines by months.
  Eg: OrbitAID’s in-orbit refueling test and TakeMe2Space’s “orbital data center” mission were both derailed by the C62 stray.
• Insurance Premium Hikes: Frequent failures inevitably lead to higher insurance premiums for future PSLV launches, eroding the competitive pricing edge India traditionally holds.
• Investor Confidence Strain: Venture capital flow into the Indian private space sector may slow down as investors reassess the “launch risk” associated with domestic carriers.
  Eg: The 2020 Space Reforms face their toughest test as startups now struggle to secure immediate re-flight opportunities.

Conclusion

The PSLV-C62 failure is a “troubling repeat” that necessitates a shift from a “mission-driven” to a “quality-first” culture. By making failure reports public and institutionalizing a “Zero-Defect” supply chain, ISRO can restore the workhorse’s legacy. Sustaining India’s $13 billion space economy by 2047 requires not just spectacular successes, but the resilience to transparently rectify systemic stumbles.

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