‘Studying entire performance,’ says ISRO chief V Narayanan after EOS-09 satellite launch mission fails

SRIHARIKOTA(Andhra Pradesh): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chief V Narayanan confirmed that the launch of the EOS-09 satellite, which was launched on Sunday, could not be accomplished, and scientists are further studying the entire performance.

Addressing a press conference, V Narayanan said the first two stages after the launch performed as expected, and the problem was detected at the third stage.

“Today we attempted a launch of the PSLV-C61 vehicle. The vehicle is a 4-stage vehicle. The first two stages performed as expected. During the 3rd stage, we are seeing observation. The mission could not be accomplished. We are studying the entire performance; we shall come back at the earliest,” Narayanan said.

#WATCH | Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh | ISRO Chief V Narayanan says, “Today we attempted a launch of PSLV-C61 vehicle. The vehicle is a 4-stage vehicle. The first two stages performed as expected. During the 3rd stage, we are seeing observation…The mission could not be… pic.twitter.com/By7LZ8g0IZ

— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2025

The ISRO also posted on X about the development, “Today, the 101st launch was attempted; PSLV-C61 performance was normal till the 2nd stage. Due to an observation in the 3rd stage, the mission could not be accomplished.”

The flight sequence of the PSLV-C-61 consists of various stages, starting from the ignition of PS1 and PSOM at the ground to the separation of various sections, to finally the separation of the satellite from the rocket.

According to the ISRO chief, the problem was detected at the third stage, which is a solid rocket motor which provides the upper stage with a high thrust after the atmospheric phase of the launch. This stage has a maximum thrust of 240 Kilonewtons.

This was ISRO’s 101st launch, in which they launched the Earth Orbiting Satellite, also known as EOS-09, which was supposed to be put in a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO).

#WATCH | Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh | On the launch of PSLV-C61, ISRO Chief V Narayanan says, “…During the functioning of the third stage, we are seeing an observation and the mission could not be accomplished. After analysis, we shall come back…”

(Source: ISRO YouTube) pic.twitter.com/XvPpo7dfbn

— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2025

The plan was for the EOS-09 satellite to be deployed as Orbit Change Thrusters (OCT) will be used to lower the altitude of the PS4 stage. This will be followed by passivation, a measure aimed at reducing the stage’s orbital life and ensuring responsible space operations. EOS-09 is designed to deliver continuous and reliable remote sensing data for use in various operational sectors.

Notably, this launch was also aligned with promoting sustainability and carrying out responsible space operations, as the EOS-09 is equipped with deorbiting fuel for safely disposing of it after the mission.

EOS-09 is an advanced Earth observation satellite equipped with C-band synthetic aperture radar technology. It can capture high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface under all weather conditions, day or night. This capability enhances India’s surveillance and management systems across multiple sectors. (ANI)