A high-level committee, comprising eminent figures such as K. VijayRaghavan, former Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, and S Somanath, ex-Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has been tasked with investigating the "systemic issues" behind the recent string of failures plaguing ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), reported The Hindu.

Unlike routine technical probes, this panel will delve into potential organisational shortcomings that may have contributed to the mishaps, marking a departure from ISRO's traditional approach of internal failure analysis.

The catalyst for this scrutiny stems from two consecutive PSLV failures: the PSLV-C61 mission on 18 May 2025, and the PSLV-C62 on 12 January 2026. Both incidents involved catastrophic third-stage ignition failures, resulting in the rockets crashing into the sea and the loss of key payloads.

In the C61 case, the primary casualty was the EOS-09 Earth observation satellite, critical for India's strategic surveillance needs. The C62 mission fared no better, failing to deploy 16 satellites, including the EOS-N1 and 14 co-passengers, underscoring a recurring vulnerability in the PSLV's propulsion chain.

ISRO's official statement confirms the committee's formation as a "national-level expert group" reviewing anomalies in the PSLV. Composed of external experts, it reports directly to current ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, with findings due before April 2026.

This probe extends beyond pinpointing faulty components. It will scrutinise manufacturing processes, procurement protocols, and assembly procedures—areas with ripple effects across ISRO's broader rocket fleet, given shared subsystems.

India's evolving space ecosystem, now integrating private firms like Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos, amplifies the stakes. The committee aims to establish robust accountability mechanisms, ensuring lapses in private-sector supply chains do not compromise missions.

A separate ISRO technical committee is set to deliver its failure analysis report on the C62 incident this week. However, public disclosure of such reports has been notably absent for both recent failures, raising transparency concerns.

The C61 report, completed internally, was forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office prior to the C62 launch but remains classified. Historically, ISRO's Failure Analysis Committees—comprising in-house and academic experts—have publicly detailed root causes and fixes, rebuilding trust post-mishap.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, a Space Commission member, visited the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre on 3 February 2026, reportedly to assess the C62 fallout, signalling high-level governmental involvement.

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh addressed the media on 2 February, emphasising a "third-party appraisal" to bolster confidence. He asserted ISRO's internal expertise while noting an ambitious June 2026 relaunch target following rectifications.

Singh highlighted resilience in the program: 18 launches are slated for 2026, including six private-sector payloads, with no withdrawals. International partners from Japan, the US, and France remain committed to 2027 missions, affirming ISRO's enduring credibility.

The PSLV, operational since 1993, boasts a stellar legacy with over 90% success rate across 60-plus missions, deploying nearly 350 satellites. Its workhorse status underpins India's commercial launch market dominance via Antrix Corporation.

Yet these failures expose vulnerabilities in the PSLV's solid-liquid hybrid design, particularly the PSOM-XL third stage, reliant on precise ignition sequencing. Past anomalies, like the 2017 PSLV-C37 partial failure, were swiftly resolved, but repetition suggests deeper systemic gaps.

Organisational factors under review may include overburdened testing regimes amid India's accelerated space ambitions—Gaganyaan crewed flight, Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), and private sector integration via IN-SPACe.

Procurement delays, exacerbated by 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' indigenisation mandates, could strain quality assurance. Private vendors now supply composites and avionics, necessitating stringent certification to match ISRO's exacting standards.

The committee's mandate aligns with global best practices, akin to NASA's independent review boards post-Challenger or SpaceX's iterative transparency. Its recommendations could reshape ISRO's governance, embedding external audits for high-stakes missions.

For India's strategic posture, PSLV failures disrupt Earth observation continuity, vital for border surveillance amid tensions with China and Pakistan. EOS series losses impair real-time intelligence, underscoring the missions' defence linkages.

Economically, each PSLV launch generates ₹200-300 crore in revenue. Sustained reliability is crucial as ISRO eyes Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) maturation and competes with SpaceX's rideshare dominance.

Looking ahead, ISRO's 2026 schedule demands swift resolution. Success in the June PSLV relaunch will validate fixes; failure risks eroding partner trust and delaying Gaganyaan timelines.

Ultimately, this probe represents a pivotal moment for ISRO's maturation into a privatised, accountable entity. By confronting systemic issues head-on, India can safeguard its ascent as a space superpower.

Agencies