ISRO’s 101st satellite launch ends in disappointment as rocket fails midway

India’s latest space mission ended in disappointment today, as ISRO’s 101st satellite launch failed to reach orbit. The mission, launched on May 18 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, was meant to place the EOS-09 Earth observation satellite into a Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit. It marked the 63rd flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, or PSLV, and the 27th use of its more powerful XL configuration. At first, things went according to plan. The rocket’s first and second stages performed normally. However, ISRO reported a problem during the third stage, which ultimately caused the mission to fail. EOS-09 was designed to boost India’s Earth observation capabilities using advanced radar technology. It could have captured high-resolution images in all weather conditions, day or night — supporting efforts in agriculture, disaster response, border security, and urban planning. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan addressed the setback. This mission follows a streak of 100 successful PSLV launches, a track record ISRO hopes to quickly recover.