India’s bid to place a new Earth observation satellite into orbit ended in failure on Sunday when the rocket carrying it suffered a third stage malfunction, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed.

The EOS 09 spacecraft lifted off at 9:12am local time atop a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C61) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast.

ISRO launch director V. Narayanan said that while the first two stages performed nominally, a sudden drop in chamber pressure during the solid fuel third stage prevented the vehicle from reaching orbit. “The mission could not be accomplished,” he told reporters at mission control.

The setback contrasts sharply with recent headline successes by the Indian space programme.

In 2023, ISRO’s Chandrayaan 3 lander became the first spacecraft to touch down near the moon’s south pole, cementing India’s status as a rising space power just four years after a failed 2019 lunar landing attempt. India also famously placed a probe in Mars orbit in 2014 and routinely launches satellites for domestic and foreign customers.

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Engineers have begun analysing telemetry data to determine the precise cause of Sunday’s third stage anomaly; officials said findings will inform corrective measures for upcoming PSLV missions.

Despite the failure, ISRO reiterated its commitment to maintaining the PSLV’s record as India’s workhorse launcher and to pressing ahead with an expanding roster of Earth observation, navigation and interplanetary projects.