PSLV-C62 launch: ISRO’s EOS-N1 mission deviates from flight path after encountering third-stage anomaly

India’s space agency suffered another setback on Monday morning after PSLV-C62 failed to place the defence satellite EOS-N1 into its intended orbit, following a disturbance during the rocket’s third stage.

The mission, launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, was carrying Anvesha (EOS-N1) — an advanced Earth observation satellite developed for strategic surveillance. The launch vehicle was also transporting 15 smaller satellites from Indian and international customers.

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The problem surfaced late in the flight.

Speaking from the Mission Control Centre, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan said the rocket faced an issue during the final phase of the third stage.

“The rocket experienced disturbance towards the end of the third stage performance.”

He added that this led to a deviation from the planned flight path.

“ISRO will come back after analysing the data.”

What went wrong during the PSLV-C62 flight

The 44.4-metre-tall PSLV-DL variant, weighing around 260 tonnes, lifted off at 10.18 am IST from the first launch pad.

The rocket rose steadily, trailing thick orange flames, before gaining speed and climbing into the sky. Around four minutes into the mission, the third stage ignited. The engine later shut down — after which the anomaly occurred.

A rocket expert, who declined to be identified, said the visuals suggested a familiar pattern.

“The failure seems to be similar to the failure of PSLV-C61 rocket as seen from the video broadcast.”

PSLV-DL is a four-stage launch vehicle that alternates between solid and liquid propulsion, supported by six strap-on boosters during lift-off. Monday’s launch marked the fifth flight of this variant, first used in 2019 for the Microsat-R mission.

Why EOS-N1 mattered for India’s surveillance capability

EOS-N1, also known as Anvesha, is a hyperspectral satellite designed to see what conventional cameras cannot.

Instead of seeing the Earth like a regular camera, the satellite reads the ground in many fine layers of colour. This allows it to tell one surface or object from another with far greater accuracy.

For defence planners, this means better visibility on the ground. Equipment hidden under camouflage, moving troops, vehicles or concealed weapons can stand out, because fabrics, metals and human bodies reflect light differently.

The satellite was expected to strengthen India’s strategic monitoring capabilities across sensitive regions.

A string of recent failures raises concerns

Monday’s failure comes amid a troubling run for India’s strategic space missions.

• May 18, 2025: PSLV-C61 failed mid-flight while carrying EOS-09, a synthetic aperture radar satellite. Estimated loss: ₹850 crore.
• January 29, 2025: GSLV-F15 failed to place the NVS-02 navigation satellite into orbit due to a pyro valve malfunction, cutting off oxidiser flow despite normal fuel pump operation.
• 2021: India lost the GISAT-1 satellite when the cryogenic stage of the GSLV-F10 failed to ignite.
• 2017: The navigation satellite IRNSS-1H never made it to space because the PSLV’s heat shield did not separate, leaving the satellite trapped inside the rocket.

Taken together, these failures have cost the programme hundreds of crores of rupees, once replacements, delays and lost mission time are counted.

ISRO is now expected to conduct a detailed post-flight analysis before announcing corrective steps.