This mission follows the dramatic failure of PSLV-C61 on May 18, 2025, when the rocket was declared a loss just eight minutes after launch.

Five failed defence-linked missions in nine years have raised questions about reliability, oversight and the risks to India’s space-based security network.

There might be some questions as to the feasibility of launching through ISRO after two back-to-back failures of PSLV,' said Ajey Lele, deputy director general at MP-IDSA.

ISRO’s second PSLV mission failure in a row comes as global launch services become more competitive, with SpaceX’s reusable rocket and China nearing 100 launches a year.

ISRO's PSLV rocket, which is considered the most reliable, has flown 64 times in 33 years, with four major failures. The earlier failure of GISAT-1 had also raised serious questions for ISRO.

A solid motor, once ignited, burns until the propellant is exhausted. It cannot simply stop mid-burn,' said a retired senior ISRO official. 'That is what makes this failure puzzling.' Venkatachari ...

India’s first space launch of 2026 hit a hurdle on Monday after ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly in the rocket’s third stage, causing a deviation from its planned flight path and leaving ...