Setbacks in recent launch missions have created a significant challenge for India’s space programme, with the Indian Space Research Organisation expected to take 2 to 3 years to replace 3 strategic satellites lost over the past year.
The estimate follows failures in 6 space launch missions carried out by ISRO from Indian soil in the last 12 months. Among the failed missions were GSLV-F15/NVS-02, which saw a satellite failure in January 2025, PSLV-C61/EOS-09, which suffered a mid-flight rocket failure and satellite loss in May 2025, and PSLV-C62/EOS-N1, which also failed mid-flight this month, resulting in another satellite loss.
The 3 Centre-funded satellites lost in these missions were considered critical for India’s national security. Each satellite was a unique platform, differing in size, mass, and technological capability. This means they cannot be replaced quickly with off-the-shelf alternatives.
Even when all components are available, assembling, integrating, and testing a satellite can take several months or even years. The complexity increases because each satellite requires specific parts sourced from different suppliers.
ISRO has acknowledged that while Indian industry supplies most of the materials used in rockets and satellites, some critical components still need to be imported. Imported content accounts for nearly 10% of a rocket and around 50-55% of a satellite. These include memory chips, sensors, onboard computers, relays, and other space-grade electronics, largely due to the lack of certain critical technologies within India.
Despite these challenges, ISRO continues to plan ambitious scientific and exploration missions. Upcoming projects include Chandrayaan-4, aimed at bringing back samples from the Moon, and Chandrayaan-5, also known as LUPEX, which is being developed in collaboration with Japan’s JAXA.
The PSLV-C61 rocket, which failed in May 2025, has remained grounded for 8 months. The PSLV-C62 mission this month was intended as its return to flight but also ended in failure, adding to ISRO’s immediate challenges.
ISRO has earlier stated plans to conduct over 10 launches annually, though this target has not yet been achieved. Some of these launches are meant for commercial customers abroad. For now, ISRO remains the only organisation in India capable of launching satellites weighing over 500 kg. Even as private players enter the sector, several successful missions will be required before they can be entrusted with national security payloads.
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