The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) mission to launch its 101st satellite failed mid-flight on Sunday morning, just minutes after liftoff. Initial analysis by ISRO scientists points to a drop in pressure in the third stage of the four-stage rocket as the cause of the failure.

The space agency posted on X, “On 18th May 2025, the 101st launch was attempted, PSLV-C61 performance was normal till the 2nd stage. Due to an observation in the 3rd stage, the mission could not be accomplished.”

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At a press briefing following the failed launch, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said the mission proceeded normally until the start of the third stage, with the stage’s motor case igniting as expected. However, a drop in motor pressure during this phase led to the failure. “We are studying the entire performance and will come back with details at the earliest,” he added.

The mission aimed to launch the Earth Observation Satellite, EOS-09, aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61). Designed to deliver accurate and continuous remote sensing data, the satellite was intended to support sectors such as agriculture, forestry, disaster management, urban planning, and national security. Equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), EOS-09 was capable of conducting surveillance in all weather conditions, including at night.

In the past, failures of the PSLV have been rare. The first occurred in 1993 during its maiden flight, when a loss of attitude control at the second-to-third stage separation, caused by a programming error and retro-rocket malfunction, led to mission failure. More recently, in 2017, a malfunction in the payload fairing separation mechanism left the satellite trapped inside the rocket, rendering the launch unsuccessful.