ISRO Identifies Cause of PSLV-C61/EOS-09 Mission Failure

Context:

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has concluded its investigation into the PSLV-C61/EOS-09 mission failure that occurred on May 18, 2025. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that the Failure Analysis Committee has pinpointed the cause.

Key Highlights:

• Mission Objective: To place EOS-09, an Earth Observation Satellite, into a sun-synchronous polar orbit.
• Launch Vehicle: PSLV-C61, launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
• Launch Outcome: Lift-off and performance were normal until the second stage; an anomaly in the third stage led to mission failure.

Significance

• This failure is notable as PSLV is ISRO’s most trusted and reliable launch vehicle, with a strong track record over multiple decades.
• The incident is a rare setback for ISRO’s operational record.

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