Tech
India’s EOS-04 Satellite Mission Fails in Latest Space Setback
India’s space program suffered another setback as its EOS-04 Earth observation satellite failed to reach orbit during Tuesday’s launch attempt.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed the mission failure after the rocket’s third stage malfunctioned.
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The EOS-04 satellite mission marked India’s 101st launch attempt, with ISRO Chairman S. Somanath acknowledging the technical failure.
“While initial stages performed normally, an observation-related issue in the third stage prevented orbital insertion,” ISRO stated on X (formerly Twitter).
This latest EOS-04 satellite mission failure continues India’s mixed record in space launches.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carried the 1,700kg satellite designed for agricultural and disaster monitoring.
Space analysts note this represents India’s first major launch failure since 2021, though the country has experienced multiple setbacks in its ambitious space program.
“Even successful spacefaring nations face occasional failures,” said independent aerospace expert Dr. Rajeev Lochan. “The key is learning from these incidents.”
ISRO plans to convene a failure analysis committee to investigate the technical issues.
The agency had scheduled 14 launches for 2024, including crucial missions for India’s human spaceflight program.
The EOS-04 satellite mission was particularly significant as it aimed to enhance India’s earth imaging capabilities for defense and civilian applications.
This comes just months after India’s successful lunar landing with Chandrayaan-3.
