New Delhi: Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for another launch of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in June, following two back-to-back mission failures. He ruled out sabotage as a cause and said technical analyses showed that the reasons behind the two failures were different.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Singh said ISRO has set up both internal and external expert committees to examine the failures of PSLV-C61 and PSLV-C62 missions and to recommend corrective steps before the next launch attempt.
Two failures had different causes, says minister
New Delhi Referring to the unsuccessful PSLV missions in May last year and January this year, Singh stressed that the failure patterns were not identical and should not be viewed as a single recurring fault.
“What happened last time has not happened now,” he said, responding to questions about the back-to-back setbacks involving the PSLV, considered ISRO’s workhorse launch vehicle with a success rate of over 90 per cent historically.
Using an analogy to explain the distinction, the minister said, “Last time a bulb fused, this time there was a tripping outside,” indicating that the technical triggers in the two cases were unrelated in nature.
He said detailed technical findings are being reviewed and corrective measures are being implemented based on committee recommendations.
Sabotage angle ruled out for now
New Delhi Responding to speculation about possible sabotage in view of consecutive failures in strategic missions, Singh said there is currently no evidence to support such a theory.
“As of now, we have not come across any such report,” he said when asked whether sabotage was suspected behind the PSLV mission failures.
He emphasised that the review process is being carried out through structured technical assessment and that conclusions would be based on engineering evidence rather than conjecture.
The government and ISRO, he added, are treating the failures with seriousness but without jumping to unsupported conclusions.
Navigation satellite issue also reviewed
New Delhi Apart from the two PSLV launch failures, Singh also referred to a separate issue involving a navigation satellite mission. He said the NVS-02 satellite launched last year did not reach its intended orbit due to malfunctioning valves in the spacecraft’s thrusters.
That anomaly, he indicated, was spacecraft-specific and separate from the PSLV launcher failures. Each incident is being studied independently through dedicated review mechanisms.
Officials have constituted separate failure assessment committees — both internal and external — for each affected mission to ensure a thorough and unbiased technical evaluation.
June launch target set, subject to clearance
New Delhi The minister said ISRO is ambitiously targeting June for the next PSLV launch, subject to completion of all corrective actions and certification processes.
“Our probable next date which we are very ambitiously targeting is in June, if we move as we have after screening the report of the committee, rectifying everything and certifying ourselves,” he said.
He cautioned, however, that space missions are subject to last-minute technical and environmental variables. “There is always a last-minute change happening due to many imponderables,” he noted.
The final launch date will depend on readiness reviews, system validation and safety clearances.
Investor and customer confidence intact
New Delhi Singh asserted that the recent failures have not damaged global or domestic confidence in ISRO’s launch capabilities. He said international and private sector clients continue to show trust in Indian launch services.
“Now, the question of credibility and private investors — we live in an evidence-based era,” he said.
He revealed that ISRO has scheduled 18 launches this year, of which six are private missions. According to him, none of the private customers has withdrawn their launch requests despite the recent setbacks.
“Which means, they still trust us,” he said.
Foreign launches lined up next year
New Delhi The minister added that major international missions using ISRO launch vehicles are lined up for next year. These include launches connected to customers or collaborations from Japan, the United States and France.
“None of them have shown any apprehension, because those who are in the business of space understand our capacity, our resilience and our confidence better,” Singh said.
He said experienced spacefaring partners recognise that occasional failures are part of launch vehicle development cycles and are addressed through rigorous technical correction.
Conclusion
New Delhi With corrective reviews under way and committees analysing each anomaly separately, ISRO is preparing to return to flight with a PSLV mission targeted for June. The government has ruled out sabotage for now and maintained that technical rectification and certification will guide the next launch. Despite recent setbacks, investor and international customer confidence in ISRO’s capabilities remains strong, according to the minister.