Six sluggish months later, ISRO looks to reset with satellite launches

📌 Summary:

• ISRO's performance in the first half of 2026 was weak, with just one launch in January — the PSLV-C62 / EOS-N1 mission — which ended in failure
• On the positive side, the anomaly in the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) appears to have been resolved
• The agency is now gearing up for a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) mission in July, to be followed by a PSLV mission in subsequent months
• The planned launches signal a reset of India's launch cadence after a sluggish start to the year

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Science & Technology — India's space programme, indigenous launch vehicles, achievements and setbacks

📝 Prelims Facts:

• PSLV = Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle; GSLV = Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
• The GSLV uses an indigenously developed cryogenic upper stage
• EOS denotes ISRO's Earth Observation Satellite series

🔑 Key Term: Launch vehicle anomaly — a technical deviation or failure in a rocket's performance that requires investigation before a return-to-flight.