SRIHARIKOTA — India’s space agency, ISRO, faced a significant setback on Monday, January 12, 2026, as the PSLV-C62 mission failed to deploy 15 of its 16 satellites into their intended orbits. While the 44.4-metre rocket lifted off gracefully at 10:18 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, an “anomaly” during the third-stage ignition caused the vehicle to deviate from its flight path.
Despite the broad mission failure, a “KID” survived. The Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID), a re-entry prototype from Spanish startup Orbital Paradigm, managed to separate from the rocket and establish contact with ground stations.
1. The Mission: What Went Wrong?
The mission aimed to place the primary EOS-N1 (an Earth Observation satellite) and 15 co-passenger satellites into a 512 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit.
- The Anomaly: Trouble began after the successful ignition of the third stage (PS3). ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan reported “disturbances and deviation” while the strap-on motors were providing thrust.
- The Fallout: 15 satellites, including high-profile domestic and international payloads, were declared lost and are currently drifting as space debris.
- Historical Context: This marks the second consecutive setback for the PSLV series, following the PSLV-C61 failure in May 2025 due to motor pressure issues.
2. The Lone Survivor: The Spanish ‘KID’
In a David-vs-Goliath moment for space technology, the KID capsule from Spain became the only success story of the launch.
“Our KID capsule, against all odds, separated from PSLV C62, switched on, and transmitted data. We’re reconstructing trajectory. Full report will come.” — Orbital Paradigm via X
The KID is a small-scale prototype designed to test re-entry technologies. Its ability to activate and transmit data despite the rocket’s deviation is being hailed as a triumph of resilient engineering.
3. Payloads Lost in Space
The mission was carrying several strategic and scientific satellites that are now unrecoverable:
| Satellite | Purpose | Developer |
| Anvesha | Strategic “Super-Eye” for military camouflage detection. | DRDO |
| AayulSAT | India’s first in-orbit satellite refueling demonstrator. | ISRO/Private |
| CGUSAT | Student-built satellite for disaster management. | Student Group |
| EOS-N1 | Primary Earth Observation payload. | Thailand & UK |
4. ISRO’s Official Stance
The space agency has initiated a high-level probe into the repeated failure of the PSLV’s third stage. Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that a detailed analysis is underway using data from all global ground stations.
While ISRO has not used the word “failure” in its formal ‘X’ post, experts suggest the agency will need to pause PSLV launches until the motor pressure and ignition anomalies are fully resolved to prevent a “hat-trick” of losses.