After 2 failed bids, ISRO to try PSLV launch again soon, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans another launch of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) by late June or early July, following two consecutive failures.
• The previous PSLV missions, PSLV-C62 in January 2026 and PSLV-C61 in May 2025, failed to place Earth Observation Satellites (EOS-N1 and EOS-09, respectively) into orbit.
• Both failures were attributed to anomalies in the rocket's third stage, with officials indicating issues with components not manufactured by ISRO, leading to a change in vendors for future flights.
• Union Science Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that ISRO's primary focus will be on the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
• India's first orbital launch by a private company, Skyroot Aerospace, is also anticipated soon.

Detailed Insights:

• The PSLV, often called ISRO's "workhorse," has a long record of successful launches, making these recent failures a significant concern for the agency.
• The third-stage anomalies in both failed missions involved issues like chamber pressure loss and roll-rate disturbance, which are critical for achieving the final orbital velocity.
• While the official failure assessment report has not been publicly released, ISRO maintains that the two failures resulted from separate faults.
• The consecutive setbacks have raised concerns about quality control within the PSLV program and its potential impact on India's strategic surveillance capabilities and commercial launch credibility.
• Gaganyaan aims to demonstrate India's indigenous capability for human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with a three-member crew.
• Skyroot Aerospace, founded by former ISRO scientists, is a private Indian aerospace manufacturer developing cost-effective launch vehicles for small satellites.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV): ISRO's third-generation, medium-lift launch vehicle, known for placing satellites into Sun-synchronous and Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits.
• Earth Observation Satellite (EOS): Satellites designed to monitor Earth's surface and atmosphere for various applications like environmental monitoring, meteorology, and cartography.
• Gaganyaan Mission: India's ambitious human spaceflight program aiming to send a three-member crew to Low Earth Orbit for a mission duration of up to seven days.
• Skyroot Aerospace: An Indian private space company focused on developing and launching its own series of small-lift launch vehicles for the small satellite market.