PSLV mission failures: Centre directs fresh launch in June

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Central government has taken a tough stand following the back-to-back failures of the PSLV launch vehicle. It has directed ISRO to conduct the next launch in June. The government has also decided to hand over the reports and findings related to the two failed launches to an independent agency outside ISRO for evaluation. Action will be taken if any deliberate lapses are found.

PSLV launches failed on May 18 last year and January 12 this year. In both cases, the missions failed during the ignition of the third stage of the four-stage rocket. Experts have described two consecutive failures of the PSLV, which has a 93 per cent success rate, as unusual.

Both rockets were built at ISRO’s largest unit, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba in Thiruvananthapuram. After both failures, inquiry committees comprising ISRO scientists and engineers investigated the causes. However, the Central government believes that these probes were not effective.

The government suspects whether there was any sabotage or a deliberate attempt from any quarter to cause the failure. The issue was taken seriously after 16 satellites, including Anvesha, a spy satellite developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), were lost in the January launch failure.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval personally visited VSSC and held inspections and meetings to assess the possibility of sabotage. The report said there was no indication of sabotage. However, doubts remain over possible deliberate lapses. The independent agency will examine this aspect by studying the investigation reports and launch data.

The Centre has issued strict instructions to restore the reliability of the PSLV and prevent further failures. The PSLV has orders for 18 launches scheduled for this year.