Six sluggish months later, ISRO looks to reset with satellite launches
After a sluggish first half of 2026 marked by two consecutive Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) failures, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing a return-to-flight mission targeting late June – early July 2026.
PSLV-C61 (May 2025) failed due to a drop in combustion chamber pressure during the third stage, causing loss of the EOS-09 Earth Observation Satellite.
PSLV-C62 (January 2026) suffered an uncontrolled roll rate disturbance, again traceable to the third stage, resulting in loss of EOS-N1 and 15 co-passenger satellites including DRDO's Anvesha hyperspectral intelligence satellite.
The consecutive failures — both attributable to anomalies in the third stage of the same rocket — forced a halt to all PSLV launches while ISRO investigated root causes.
The next mission, carrying the TDS-01 (Technology Demonstrator Satellite), is positioned as the return-to-flight vehicle; the Minister of State for Space confirmed targeting late June or early July 2026.
ISRO also has a packed manifest for the remainder of 2026 including GISAT-1A (geo-imaging satellite), a Gaganyaan G1 uncrewed test flight (H2 2026), and a commercial LVM3 launch carrying the AST SpaceMobile Bluebird-6 satellite.
India's Space Programme: Institutional Structure
India's space programme is governed through a unique structure that positions space as a strategic national asset under direct government oversight while opening it to private participation.
Key Details
- Department of Space (DoS): The apex government department, reporting directly to the Prime Minister (not a Cabinet Minister); the DoS Secretary is also ISRO Chairman.
- ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation): The primary research and development organisation under DoS; develops and operates launch vehicles and satellites.
- NSIL (New Space India Ltd): The commercial arm of ISRO for technology transfer, production, and commercial launches; incorporated in 2019.
- IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre): Set up in 2020 to regulate and promote private sector participation in space activities. It is the single-window agency for non-governmental entities (NGEs).
- Space Activities Bill (pending): Provides a legal framework for private space activities; its absence has been a constraint on the sector.
The PSLV failures are not just a technical setback — they delay NSIL's commercial manifest and affect India's credibility as a launch service provider, making the return-to-flight mission institutionally significant beyond the satellite payloads involved.
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
PSLV is India's most reliable and frequently used launch vehicle, known as the "workhorse" of ISRO. It is a four-stage rocket alternating solid and liquid propulsion.
Key Details
- Configuration: Four stages — Stage 1 (solid, S138), Stage 2 (liquid, Vikas engine), Stage 3 (solid, S7), Stage 4 (liquid, twin PS4 engines). Six strap-on boosters in standard configuration (PSLV-XL).
- Track record before 2025: 58 consecutive successful missions over three decades; PSLV-C62 was only the second PSLV failure in its history (the first being PSLV-D1 in 1993).
- Variants: PSLV-CA (core alone, no strap-ons), PSLV-XL (6 extended strap-ons, heaviest payload capacity ~1,750 kg to SSO), PSLV-QL (4 strap-ons).
- PSLV-C62 was the first of a new "industry-built" PSLV — a production model assembled by private companies (Larsen & Toubro, HAL consortium) under technology transfer from ISRO. The failure's investigation will scrutinise this new manufacturing pathway.
- Both 2025 and 2026 failures involved anomalies in the third stage (solid propulsion, S7 motor), pointing to a common root cause under investigation.
The third-stage anomaly in two consecutive missions is the central technical mystery ISRO must resolve before resuming regular launches; the article signals ISRO is confident enough in its findings to return to flight.
Gaganyaan Programme
Gaganyaan is India's Human Spaceflight Programme — the first indigenous crewed orbital mission. It is among the most complex programmes ISRO has ever undertaken.
Key Details
- Mission: Carry a crew of three Indian astronauts (Vyomanauts) to a 400 km low Earth orbit for up to 3 days and return them safely to Earth.
- Launch Vehicle: Human Rated LVM-3 (formerly GSLV Mk III, renamed after reconfiguration to meet human safety standards).
- Programme structure — test flights before the crewed mission:
- Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT) — parachute system ✅
- Pad Abort Test (PAT) — crew escape ✅
- TV-D1 (Test Vehicle Demonstration 1) — crew escape system at high altitude ✅ (Oct 2023)
- G1: First uncrewed orbital test flight — scheduled H2 2026 (carrying Vyommitra humanoid robot).
- G2: Second uncrewed flight — late 2026.
- H1: First crewed flight — 2027.
- Gaganyaan was sanctioned at a cost of ₹9,023 crore (revised estimates suggest higher).
- If successful, India will become only the fourth country to independently conduct human spaceflight, after the USSR/Russia, USA, and China.
- Delays in the Gaganyaan schedule are partly connected to PSLV-programme disruptions absorbing engineering bandwidth.
The PSLV failures in 2025–26 have cascading effects on ISRO's overall 2026 schedule including Gaganyaan preparatory missions; the return-to-flight success is a prerequisite for rebuilding mission cadence.
Private Sector in India's Space Programme
India's 2020 space sector reforms opened ISRO missions, satellite manufacturing, and launch services to non-governmental entities (NGEs) for the first time since the programme's inception.
Key Details
- IN-SPACe is the regulatory and promotion body under DoS for private sector entities.
- Skyroot Aerospace conducted India's first private rocket launch (Vikram-S suborbital) in November 2022.
- Agnikul Cosmos conducted the world's first flight of a fully 3D-printed rocket engine (Agnilet) in a sub-orbital test in 2024.
- NSIL's commercial PSLV programme — where industry partners build the rocket under ISRO supervision — was inaugurated with PSLV-C62. The failure raises scrutiny over quality assurance in this new manufacturing model.
- The LVM3 will carry the Bluebird-6 satellite for AST SpaceMobile (USA) through NSIL — a major commercial contract that signals India's ambition as an international launch provider.
The return-to-flight mission also validates India's commercially contracted launch manifest and the private-sector production model for PSLV.
- PSLV-C61 failure: May 2025 — third-stage combustion pressure drop; lost EOS-09.
- PSLV-C62 failure: January 2026 — third-stage uncontrolled roll; lost EOS-N1, Anvesha (DRDO), and 15 co-passenger satellites.
- Both failures: third stage (S7 solid motor) anomaly.
- Return-to-flight mission: TDS-01 (Technology Demonstrator Satellite) — targeted late June / early July 2026.
- Upcoming ISRO 2026 missions: GISAT-1A (geo-imaging), Gaganyaan G1 (uncrewed orbital, H2 2026), LVM3/Bluebird-6 (commercial).
- Gaganyaan G1 carries Vyommitra (half-humanoid robot) to simulate crew conditions.
- First crewed Gaganyaan mission (H1): planned 2027.
- Gaganyaan orbit: 400 km LEO, crew of three, mission duration up to 3 days.
- Gaganyaan launch vehicle: Human Rated LVM-3 (GSLV Mk III).
- Gaganyaan original budget: ₹9,023 crore.
- India to become 4th nation with independent human spaceflight capability on successful H1 mission.
- IN-SPACe established: 2020 — single-window for private space sector.
- NSIL incorporated: 2019 — commercial arm of ISRO.
- PSLV prior to 2025: only one failure in 58 missions (PSLV-D1, 1993).