Source: TH
Why in News?
Debris bearing the ISRO logo and India’s National Emblem has been found on an uninhabited island in the Maldives. The object is believed to be part of a launch vehicle payload fairing.
Key Details
- Location: Island near L. Kunahandhoo, Maldives
- Date found: February 12, 2026
- Object: Payload fairing (PLF) fragment from a launch vehicle
- Likely origin: LVM3-M6 mission (as per spaceflight tracking sources)
- ISRO has not officially confirmed the origin yet.
Possible Mission Link
- LVM3-M6 / BlueBird Block-2 mission
- Launch date: December 2025
- Type: Dedicated commercial mission
- Payload: BlueBird Block-2 satellite (AST SpaceMobile, USA)
About Payload Fairing
- Protective nose cone of a rocket
- Shields satellite from heat and pressure during launch
- Detaches after the rocket exits dense atmosphere
- Detached parts fall into designated ocean zones
About LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3)
- Heaviest rocket developed by ISRO
- Three-stage configuration:
- Two solid strap-on boosters
- Liquid core stage
- Cryogenic upper stage
Uses
- Heavy communication satellites
- Commercial satellite launches
- Human spaceflight missions (Gaganyaan class)
