 "‘Encountered an anomaly’: Setback for Isro, Anvesha mission fails during end of PS3 stage")
In a setback for Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), the PSLV-C62 mission has failed to place satellites into orbit. “The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly at the end of the PS3 stage. A detailed analysis has been initiated,” Isro wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
On Monday, the space agency launched its first major orbital mission of 2026, Anvesha, as the PSLV-C62 rocket lifted off from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10:17 am IST.
The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during end of the PS3 stage. A detailed analysis has been initiated.
— ISRO (@isro) January 12, 2026
Isro Chairman Dr V. Narayanan shared a statement giving insights into what went down. “Today, we attempted the PSLV-C62 EOS-N1 mission. The PSLV vehicle is a four-stage vehicle with two solid stages and two liquid stages,” Narayanan said in a statement. “The performance of the vehicle up to the end of the third stage was as expected. Close to the end of the third stage, we observed slightly higher disturbance in the vehicle roll rates, and subsequently, a deviation in the flight path. We are analysing the data and will come back at the earliest,” he added.
The significance of the mission
It is important to note that the last PSLV mission was launched in May 2025. However, even that ended in failure due to an anomaly in the rocket’s third stage.
The Monday launch was not just about deploying satellites but about restoring confidence in India’s most reliable launch vehicle and reinforcing ISRO’s reputation as a global player.
For decades, Indian space exploration has been synonymous with Isro. In the Anvesha mission, private players like Dhruva Space are emerging as critical partners, offering end-to-end solutions from satellite design to deployment and even ground station services.
However, things did not go as planned. The mission encountered a critical performance anomaly during the final moments of its third-stage (PS3) burn. While people were 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.
Quick Reads
View AllWhat is concerning is the fact that the primary payload, DRDO’s strategic “eye in the sky” Anvesha, along with 15 pioneering satellites from startups across India, Nepal, and Spain, is now feared to have been lost to the atmosphere, potentially ending India’s first mission of 2026 in tragedy.
 "Who was Rubina Aminian, Iranian Student shot in the back of the head and buried roadside?")
 "US Fed Chair Jerome Powell says he is under criminal investigation by DoJ amid Trump's pressure")
 "'It's going down': After Venezuela, why is Trump threatening Cuba?")
 "Nervy, scrappy, but vital: Why Harshit Rana’s cameo in Vadodara is a good sign for Team India in the long run")
 "Who was Rubina Aminian, Iranian Student shot in the back of the head and buried roadside?")
 "US Fed Chair Jerome Powell says he is under criminal investigation by DoJ amid Trump's pressure")
 "'It's going down': After Venezuela, why is Trump threatening Cuba?")
 "Nervy, scrappy, but vital: Why Harshit Rana’s cameo in Vadodara is a good sign for Team India in the long run")
