ISRO’s PSLV-XL Mission Fails Mid-Flight, Resulting in Major Setback
India’s space ambitions faced a significant blow on Sunday, May 18, 2025, as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL (PSLV-XL) mission ended in failure shortly after liftoff. The incident led to the loss of Earth Observation Satellite EOS-09 and an estimated financial setback of ₹850 crore.
The mission, designated PSLV-C61, was launched from ISRO’s Sriharikota spaceport and marked the agency’s 101st attempt. EOS-09 was a vital surveillance satellite, equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, and intended to bolster national defense capabilities—similar to the EOS-04 satellite launched in 2022. Weighing 1,696.24 kg, it was designed for a five-year operational lifespan.
The launch vehicle, measuring 44.5 meters in height and weighing 321 tons, took off at 5:59 AM IST. However, around six minutes into the flight, during the ignition of its third stage, the rocket deviated from its path. Mission Control visuals confirmed this anomaly.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan explained that while the first two stages performed as expected, a sudden drop in pressure was detected in the third stage, leading to the mission's failure. “There was an observation in the third stage,” he noted, withholding specific technical details.
In an official update, ISRO tweeted: “Today’s 101st launch was attempted. PSLV-C61 performance was normal till the 2nd stage. Due to an observation in the 3rd stage, the mission could not be accomplished.”
This incident follows another failed mission earlier this year. In January 2025, the GSLV mission carrying the NVS-02 navigation satellite was unsuccessful due to a malfunction in a pyro valve. The satellite failed to achieve orbit, causing a loss of ₹300 crore.
Experts believe the PSLV-C61 failure might be linked to issues such as a defective valve or a faulty electrical connection, both of which could lead to a pressure drop. A retired ISRO official remarked on the concerning pattern: “Two successive failures in strategically important missions is too much of a coincidence.”
NVS-02 was intended to replace the ageing IRNSS-1E satellite within India’s regional navigation constellation. Despite multiple redundancies built into the system, an undetected issue in the power supply—possibly a disconnected line—may have led to the malfunction.
The official report on the NVS-02 failure has yet to be completed or made public, raising further concerns about systemic issues.
Although the PSLV remains one of ISRO’s most dependable vehicles—with only two prior failures in 1993 and 2017—Sunday’s setback underscores growing challenges. In 2017, the PSLV’s heat shield failed to separate, trapping the IRNSS-1H satellite inside. That incident was ultimately attributed to a faulty pyro separation system.
The PSLV program has faced minor technical problems in the past as well, including delays in 2010 due to actuator issues and last-minute hardware replacements.
While this recent failure might have a limited effect on ISRO’s reputation in the global satellite launch market, repeated setbacks in high-stakes missions present deeper concerns. These are not just financial losses but missed opportunities in safeguarding national interests.
The total cost of the failed EOS-09 mission was approximately ₹550 crore for the satellite and ₹300 crore for the rocket.
As international competition in the space sector intensifies and reliance on satellite-based intelligence increases, ISRO now faces mounting pressure to enhance reliability—especially for missions linked to India’s strategic and defense priorities.
