Against the backdrop of recent launch challenges, India’s space agency is preparing to return its most reliable rocket to flight. The Indian Space Research Organisation is gearing up for another attempt to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in June.
The planned mission follows two consecutive PSLV failures. The PSLV C61 mission failed in May 2025, while PSLV-C62 did not succeed in January 2026. Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed the new launch timeline while addressing a press conference on Monday.
Responding to concerns, Singh said the causes behind the two failures were not the same. He explained the situation with an analogy, saying, “Last time a bulb fused, this time there was a tripping outside.” He also ruled out any possibility of sabotage, dismissing speculation around deliberate interference in these strategic missions.
Singh noted that the challenges were not limited to the PSLV alone. A navigation satellite, NVS-02, launched by ISRO last year also failed to reach its intended orbit due to a malfunction in the spacecraft’s thruster valves. Despite these incidents, he said global confidence in ISRO’s launch systems remains strong.
According to the minister, international customers continue to trust ISRO with their satellite launches. He said foreign clients with upcoming missions have not withdrawn their plans, even after the recent setbacks.
Highlighting the agency’s busy schedule, Singh said ISRO has 18 launches planned for this year, including 6 private missions. None of these launches have been cancelled. He also revealed that 3 major foreign launches from Japan, the US, and France are scheduled for next year, with no signs of concern from these countries.
An investigation into the PSLV failures is still ongoing. An external team is also part of the probe. Singh said that none of the companies whose satellites were onboard the failed rockets have raised doubts about the reliability of ISRO’s launch vehicles.
He added that ISRO’s Failure Analysis Committee report on the May incident was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office before the PSLV-C62 launch. However, the report has not yet been made public.
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