India’s first space launch of the year ends in failure

India’s first 2026 space launch ended in failure as the four-stage PSLV‑C62 (DL configuration) rocket carrying the Earth observation satellite EOS‑N1 could not reach its intended orbit.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on January 12 that the PSLV‑C62 mission experienced an anomaly during the end of its PS3 stage, and a detailed investigation has been launched, Caliber.Az reports.

"Today we have attempted the PSLV C62 / EOS - N1 Mission. The PSLV vehicle is a four stage vehicle with two solid stages and two liquid stages," Isro chief V. Narayanan stated.

ISRO launched EOS‑N1 along with 14 co-passenger satellites and a re-entry capsule in a marathon mission, marking the agency’s first spaceflight of 2026.

The launch follows a rare setback in May 2025, when PSLV‑C61 failed to place the EOS‑09 Earth observation satellite into orbit due to a third-stage anomaly.

The 44.4‑metre-tall PSLV‑C62 lifted off from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on a commercial mission for NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).

This marked the 64th PSLV flight and the fifth mission of the PSLV‑DL variant.

By Jeyhun Aghazada