In a poignant moment for India’s space exploration narrative, ISRO’s PSLV-C61 rocket embarked on its determined mission to carry the EOS09 Earth Observation Satellite from the hallowed ground of Sriharikota. Marked by high aspirations, the launch, taking place at 05:59 hours IST, unfolded with a notable calm across its initial stages. However, as the third-stage of the vehicle set into a veering pattern, the mission met unexpected complications.
A Closer Look at the Anomaly
Chairman V Narayanan addressed the nation, maintaining ISRO’s signature composure in crisis, explaining a deviation encountered during the third stage. “Up to the second stage, the performance was quite normal,” he remarked, emphasizing ISRO’s commitment to a detailed analysis to illuminate the path forward.
Lessons from the Challenges
This nuanced struggle speaks volumes of both resilience and rigorous learning within ISRO. Former Chairman S Somanath’s insightful words resonate with a compelling reminder: “Over the years, such challenges have only strengthened our conviction that failure is never defeat, but rather a formidable tutor.” Embracing setbacks as powerful instructors, ISRO’s journey mirrors the essence of human endeavor against cosmic uncertainties.
Unyielding Resolve
While this marks the second disruption ISRO faced in 2025, the resolve is unshaken. Earlier, the GSLV-F15 mission posed its own set of challenges when thrusters faltered post-orbit injection — yet another chapter that enriches the agency’s rich legacy of innovation-driven perseverance.
Looking Toward the Horizon
The current misstep of PSLV’s third stage is a pebble in the grand stream of ISRO’s journeys. Each launch is a testament to scientific rigor, evolving technologies, and the spirit to push boundaries. The anticipation builds anew with ISRO’s next launch harboring a collaborative marvel — the NASA pact to deploy the pioneering NISAR satellite.
As the engineers rally with unwavering precision, a committee is already in place to identify the failure’s core and craft future strategies. According to News9 LIVE, this scenario epitomizes how adversity and triumph walk hand in hand, with each lesson sculpting a brighter horizon for space exploration.
In sum, ISRO’s setback is not the language of defeat, but a dialogue with destiny — a dialogue fuelled by aspiration and relentless pursuit of cosmic knowledge.
