ISRO Refuses to Give Up, PSLV Lines Up for “One More Try” Launch Window in Late June–Early July

New Delhi After back-to-back setbacks involving its trusted workhorse launch vehicle, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to attempt another PSLV mission by the end of June or early July, according to Union Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. Speaking on the sidelines of an event marking 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led government, Dr Singh said the space agency is actively working on the next launch window. “As for PSLV, we are planning by the end of June or beginning of July,” he stated, signalling continued confidence in India’s polar satellite launch system despite recent challenges. ISRO has not conducted any successful PSLV launch since two consecutive missions earlier this year faced anomalies. In January, the PSLV mission carrying the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-N1 failed to place the satellite into its intended orbit. Prior to that, in May 2025, another PSLV mission carrying EOS-09 also ended in failure, with both incidents reportedly linked to issues occurring in the rocket’s third stage. The PSLV, long regarded as one of ISRO’s most reliable and versatile launch vehicles, has been central to India’s Earth observation and remote sensing programmes. The recent setbacks mark an unusual phase for the programme, which has historically maintained a strong success record. Officials familiar with the developments suggest that detailed failure analysis has been completed and corrective measures are being incorporated into the upcoming mission. While ISRO has not officially confirmed the exact payload or mission configuration for the next launch, preparations are understood to be in advanced stages. Space experts note that such failures, while rare, are part of the iterative nature of rocket science, where continuous refinement and system validation are critical to long-term reliability. Despite the recent disruptions, confidence remains high within India’s space ecosystem that the PSLV will soon return to its successful track record, reinforcing its role as a dependable backbone of the country’s space programme. The upcoming launch, expected around the end of June or early July, is being closely watched as a key test of ISRO’s corrective engineering efforts and operational resilience.