As it became evident that its third stage had suffered an anomaly, putting paid to the C62 mission in a manner similar to the PSLV-C61 mission in May 2025, the change in the telecast became more familiar. The symptom of the C62 failure, a “roll rate disturbance”, parallels the events preceding the C61 failure. While the pressure to maintain a high launch cadence is understandable, his decision to move the C62 mission to the pad while the autopsy of its predecessor remains classified should raise tough questions about the organisation’s priorities. That the C62 mission also carried the EOS-N1 satellite, built by the DRDO and with unspecified strategic applications, could help explain a ‘rush’ if there was one. But right now, ISRO’s and his best path to restoring confidence, and begin the painful work of rebuilding quality assurance protocols, is for the Department of Space to release the FAC report for the C61 mission.

Source: The Hindu January 13, 2026 07:05 UTC