ISRO Faces Setbacks: Analyzing PSLV Mission Failures and Implications
Consecutive PSLV failures raise concerns about ISRO's reliability and quality control.
Photo by SpaceX
Quick Revision
PSLV-C61 failure: May 18, 2025
PSLV-C62 failure: January 12, 2026
PS3 anomaly: Pressure drop after 203 seconds
Key Dates
Key Numbers
Visual Insights
PSLV Mission Timeline and Recent Failures
Timeline of key PSLV missions, highlighting recent failures and their context.
The PSLV has been a reliable workhorse for ISRO, but recent failures raise concerns about quality control and potential design flaws.
- 2017PSLV-C37 launches a record 104 satellites in a single mission.
- 2019PSLV-C48 successfully launches RISAT-2BR1.
- 2020PSLV-C51 launches Amazonia-1 and 18 other satellites.
- 2022PSLV-C52 successfully launches EOS-04.
- 2023PSLV-C55 successfully launches TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4.
- 2025PSLV-C61 mission fails due to third-stage anomaly (EOS-09).
- 2026PSLV-C62 mission fails due to roll rate disturbance.
Exam Angles
GS Paper III: Science and Technology - Space
GS Paper II: Governance - Transparency and Accountability
Potential for questions on ISRO's achievements and challenges
View Detailed Summary
Summary
Background
The genesis of ISRO and the Indian space program can be traced back to 1962 with the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) by Jawaharlal Nehru. This was driven by the vision of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, considered the father of the Indian space program.
Early efforts focused on sounding rockets launched from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1963. ISRO was formally established in 1969, consolidating space activities under a single entity. The initial focus was on developing satellite communication and remote sensing capabilities, crucial for a developing nation.
The PSLV, conceived in the 1980s, was designed to launch Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun-synchronous orbits, marking a significant step towards self-reliance in space launch capabilities. Its first successful launch was in 1994.
Latest Developments
In recent years, ISRO has been focusing on advanced technologies like reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) and electric propulsion systems to reduce launch costs and increase payload capacity. The Gaganyaan mission, India's first human spaceflight program, is a major focus, with unmanned missions planned before sending astronauts into orbit. There's also increased emphasis on commercial launches through NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm, to tap into the growing global space market.
The Space Activities Bill, once enacted, will provide a regulatory framework for private sector participation in space activities. Furthermore, ISRO is actively involved in international collaborations for space exploration and research, including missions to the Moon and Mars. The recent failures could lead to a renewed focus on quality control and independent audits of critical systems.
Practice Questions (MCQs)
1. Consider the following statements regarding the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV): 1. PSLV is primarily designed to launch satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). 2. PSLV uses a combination of solid and liquid propulsion stages. 3. PSLV was first successfully launched in 1994. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: B
Statement 1 is incorrect because PSLV is primarily designed for launching satellites into sun-synchronous orbits (SSO). Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
2. Which of the following statements is NOT correct regarding the role of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)?
- A.It is the commercial arm of ISRO.
- B.It is responsible for manufacturing and production of launch vehicles and satellites.
- C.It solely focuses on launching foreign satellites.
- D.It aims to promote private sector participation in space activities.
Show Answer
Answer: C
NSIL does not solely focus on launching foreign satellites. It also promotes Indian space capabilities and launches Indian satellites commercially.
3. Assertion (A): Repeated failures in the third stage of PSLV missions raise concerns about quality control. Reason (R): The Failure Analysis Committee (FAC) reports are not always made public, hindering external scrutiny. In the context of the above statements, which of the following is correct?
- A.Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
- B.Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
- C.A is true but R is false
- D.A is false but R is true
Show Answer
Answer: A
Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why repeated failures raise concerns about quality control, as lack of transparency hinders external scrutiny.
4. Consider the following statements regarding the evolution of the Indian Space Program: 1. INCOSPAR was established in 1962 under the leadership of Dr. C.V. Raman. 2. The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) was used for initial sounding rocket experiments. 3. The primary focus of ISRO in its early years was on developing nuclear weapons technology. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.2 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Answer: B
Statement 1 is incorrect as INCOSPAR was established under the leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. Statement 3 is incorrect as ISRO's early focus was on satellite communication and remote sensing. Statement 2 is correct.