An Indian rocket carrying 16 payloads, including an Earth surveillance satellite, veered off course shortly after liftoff on January 12, 2026, marking a fresh setback for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This incident represents the second disappointment for the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in about eight months, damaging its previously strong reputation for reliability.
The PSLV-C62 launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on the island of Sriharikota at 10:18 a.m. (0448 GMT), carrying the EOS-N1 observation satellite along with 15 additional payloads from both Indian and international startups and academic institutions.
Initially, the rocket performed as expected, but an anomaly occurred towards the end of the PS3 stage, causing an unexpected deviation in its flight path. ISRO’s mission control confirmed the issue, stating, “The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during the end of the PS3 stage. A detailed analysis has been initiated,” though no further details on the cause or the rocket’s final position were provided.
The PSLV, which has a success rate of over 90% across approximately 60 past missions, has been integral to India’s space program, launching high-profile missions like Chandrayaan-1 and the Aditya-L1 solar observatory. The rocket also plays a key role in ISRO’s strategy to expand space manufacturing through private industry.
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