Isro PSLV-C62 highlights: Mission fails, satellites lost

The morning Sun at Sriharikota held the promise of a triumphant new year. On January 12 at 10:18 am IST, the Earth trembled as the PSLV-C62 roared into the sky, riding a pillar of fire towards the edge of the atmosphere.

For the first eight minutes, the mission was a textbook display of precision, a silent, soaring testament to years of engineering.

The 62nd mission of the PSLV rocket failed to deploy satellites into orbit due to technical glitches in the third stage.

A heavy gloom has descended upon the Mission Control Centre at Sriharikota as the ghosts of 2025 return to haunt India’s space program.

In a heart-wrenching twist of fate, the PSLV-C62 mission encountered a critical performance anomaly during the final moments of its third-stage (PS3) burn. Just as the nation was celebrating a perfect liftoff, telemetry screens suddenly showed a terrifying deviation in the flight path, with the vehicle's altitude and velocity dropping far below nominal levels.

The primary payload, DRDO's strategic "eye in the sky" Anvesha, along with 15 pioneering satellites from startups across India, Nepal, and Spain, are now feared to have been lost to the atmosphere, potentially ending India's first mission of 2026 in tragedy.

"The performance of the vehicle at the end of the third stage was nominal, and then a disturbance in roll rates and a deviation in flight path was noticed. We are analysing the data, and we will come back with more updates," Isro chief V Narayanan confirmed.

The PSLV-C62 mission has failed to place satellites into orbit. 

The fourth stage (PS4) of the PSLV-C62 is currently performing a delicate "orbital dance" in the vacuum of space.

Having successfully navigated the atmosphere, the vehicle is now using its liquid-fuelled engines to fine-tune its velocity for the final injection. The primary payload, EOS-N1 (Anvesha), is seconds away from being pushed into its 505 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit, where it will begin its mission as India's premier hyperspectral "eye in the sky."

In the mission control bunker, silence has fallen as scientists wait for the telemetry that confirms "separation," a signal that will officially mark the success of India's first space odyssey of 2026.

The high-performance solid third stage of the PSLV rocket has successfully separated. This was the exact component that caused heartbreak in 2025. Today, it performed flawlessly, handing over the mission to the fourth stage with a "textbook" velocity of 5,688 meters per second.

The high-performance solid third stage (HPS3) has completed its burn and separated. This was a "must-watch" moment for engineers, and its success marks a major relief for the mission control team.

The high-performance solid third stage (HPS3) has completed its burn and separated. This was a "must-watch" moment for engineers, and its success marks a major relief for the mission control team.

The liquid-fuelled second stage has completed its burn. All pressure parameters remained stable, proving the rigorous quality checks implemented after the 2025 anomaly were successful.

At an altitude of 116 km, the protective "nose cone" has been jettisoned. The Anvesha satellite and its 15 global passengers are now exposed to space for the first time as the rocket sheds unnecessary weight.

Telemetry confirms the twin solid strap-on motors have exhausted their fuel and separated. The core stage is now pushing the vehicle toward the upper atmosphere at supersonic speeds.

A tiny satellite from Brazil, the Orbital Temple, is ready to go. It carries the names of over 14,000 people stored in its memory, designed to perpetually broadcast a message from orbit: “Today, your name ascended, and there it remains.”

Hyderabad-based MOI-1 is now live and communicating. Carrying the world’s lightest space telescope, it allows users to rent AI processing power in space for real-time disaster analysis.

Automatic Launch Sequence initiated, computer in launch control center has taken command of PSLV. 

Here are the first pictures of the EOS-N1 Anvesha satellite developed by DRDO. 

A major talking point today is AayulSAT by Bengaluru-based startup OrbitAID. In a world-first attempt for a small satellite, it will test an Isro-certified docking interface designed for "space gas stations," aiming to prove that India can lead the future of sustainable, refuelable satellite constellations.

Isro ground teams have successfully completed the high-pressure loading of the liquid propellant stages. Isro engineers are now conducting a final thermal "soak" of the Vikas engines, ensuring the hardware is ready for the violent transition from Earth's gravity to the vacuum of space.

Isro has completed propellant loading on all stages of PSLV. The PSLV is a four-stage rocket. 

There are signs of rain in Sriharikota, but Isro says it will not hamper the PSLV-C62 launch at 10:18 am IST. 

Ground teams have completed the final pressurisation of the liquid propellant stages. The 44.4-meter-tall PSLV-DL is now a high-pressure powerhouse, and Isro engineers are monitoring the thermal stabilisation of the Vikas engines. This is the last manual hurdle before Isro hands over the mission to the onboard computers.

The primary payload, Anvesha (EOS-N1), is a 400-kg hyperspectral imaging satellite. It is programmed for injection into a 505-km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) to provide high-resolution data for strategic and agricultural monitoring.

The countdown at Sriharikota is entering its final, most electric phase as the PSLV-C62 stands ready on the First Launch Pad, trembling under the pressure of its fully loaded propellant tanks. Scheduled for liftoff at 10:18 AM IST today, this 64th flight of India’s "Workhorse" rocket marks the high-stakes debut of the 2026 space calendar.

What exactly is the PSLV? Short for Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, it is Isro’s most reliable "Workhorse." It is a four-stage rocket that uses a unique "sandwich" of fuel: solid, liquid, solid, and liquid. This combination allows it to place satellites into precise orbits with legendary accuracy.

What exactly is the PSLV? Short for Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, it is Isro’s most reliable "Workhorse." It is a four-stage rocket that uses a unique "sandwich" of fuel: solid, liquid, solid, and liquid. This combination allows it to place satellites into precise orbits with legendary accuracy.

The primary satellite will be deployed nearly 17 minutes after launch, while the mission will complete after 108 minutes. 

The atmosphere at Sriharikota is electric as the 25-hour countdown enters its final phase. Today is not just a launch; it is a high-stakes celestial ballet featuring 16 pioneers.

PSLV-C62 is carrying 16 satellites, including the primary EOS-N1 Anvesha. Unlike previous years, 2026 kicks off with a heavy focus on "infrastructure" rather than just observation.

PSLV-C62 is seen as a redemption mission for Isro’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) because it restores confidence in India’s most trusted rocket after a rare setback.

 PSLV-C61 had a debacle on May 18, 2025, when a third-stage anomaly halted the Earth Observation Satellite-09 mission just eight minutes post-launch, scrubbed amid technical observations. 

The PSLV-C62 mission will also demonstrate KID or Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator from a Spanish startup, which is a small-scale prototype of a re-entry vehicle being developed by the startup. The KID will be the last co-passenger to be injected, after which it is slated to re-enter the earth’s atmosphere towards splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean.

Isro’s commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited, has transformed this flight into an international "satellite taxi."

The manifest includes Munal from Nepal, supported by India's Ministry of External Affairs, which will map the nation's topography. From Spain, the 25-kg Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) capsule will test atmospheric re-entry technology, intentionally plunging into the South Pacific Ocean after two hours.

The mission also features the Indo-Mauritius Joint Satellite and a Brazilian cluster including Aldebaran-1 for maritime rescue and the "Orbital Temple," which will store 14,000 names perpetually in the void.

A revolutionary aspect of this mission is AayulSAT, developed by the Bengaluru-based startup OrbitAID Aerospace. This satellite acts as a technology demonstrator for India’s first on-orbit refuelling model. 

Traditionally, a satellite’s lifespan is limited by its fuel; once the propellant runs out, the asset becomes space debris. AayulSAT aims to change this by testing a proprietary docking interface and a fuel-transfer mechanism in microgravity, laying the groundwork for "orbital petrol pumps" to extend the life of global constellations. READ MORE

Isro is launching a total of 16 satellites in a single mission. This includes satellites from foreign nations like UK, Brazil, Nepal along with DRDO's powerful Anvesha satellite. 

The launch is scheduled to take place from the First Launch Pad in Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 10:18 am IST.

Carrying 16 satellites into a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit, Isro's "workhorse" is set to demonstrate India’s growing dominance in the global small-satellite launch market. At the heart of this mission lies the EOS-N1, an advanced Earth Observation Satellite developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Dubbed Anvesha, the satellite is equipped with sophisticated hyperspectral imaging technology.

Good morning and welcome to India Today Science LIVE Blog. 

We begin this morning with a planned launch of Isro's PSLV-C62 mission to space.

Stay with us as we bring you all the updates from Sriharikota, Isro's Mission Control, on the developments around the first Indian space launch of 2026.