Subhechcha Ganguly 
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) encountered a rare setback on Sunday when its Earth Observation Satellite, EOS-09, failed to reach the intended orbit following the launch of the PSLV-C61 mission. This marked ISRO’s 101st space mission and the 63rd flight of the trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
The launch took place at 5:59 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota using the PSLV-XL configuration for the 27th time. Initially, the mission proceeded as expected, with the first and second stages of the PSLV functioning normally. However, during the third stage, an anomaly was observed, leading to the mission’s failure.
“During the functioning of the third stage, we are seeing an observation, and the mission could not be accomplished. After the analysis, we shall come back,” said ISRO Chairman V Narayanan shortly after the launch.
The EOS-09 (also referred to as RISAT-1B), weighing around 1,696.24 kg, was designed to augment India’s all-weather Earth observation capabilities. It was intended to join a constellation of satellites aimed at providing real-time remote sensing data across the country’s vast geography. The satellite was a repeat version of the EOS-04 launched in 2022 and was expected to support operational applications by user communities.
Ahead of the launch, ISRO Chief Narayanan had expressed optimism, stating that the mission would be a significant milestone in India’s space program. He also sought blessings at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati on Friday.
ISRO has initiated an investigation into the third-stage anomaly and is expected to release a detailed analysis soon.
