🚀 PSLV-XL | 🛰 EOS-09 (RISAT-1B)
Launch date: May 18, 2025 01:29 UTC
Payload: EOS-09 (RISAT-1B)
Location: First Launch Pad, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India
Vehicle: PSLV-XL
On May 18, 2025, ISRO launched the EOS-09 (RISAT-1B) C-band SAR Earth observation and reconnaissance satellite aboard PSLV-XL (PSLV-C61) from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The PSLV-C61 mission, intended to deliver the 1,710 kg satellite carrying a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to a 610 km Sun-synchronous orbit for all-weather, day-and-night imaging, failed due to a loss of chamber pressure in the third stage approximately six minutes after launch, resulting in total mission loss. This was ISRO’s second space mission in 2025 and the 101st orbital launch for the organization. The mission marked only the third failure in PSLV’s history and impacted India’s 2025 launch schedule. ISRO officials are investigating the anomaly and announced further updates would follow after analysis. The EOS-09 satellite was equipped to support operational applications in sectors such as intelligence and Indian border security.
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First Launch Pad, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, India
The First Launch Pad (FLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, is one of two operational orbital launch complexes in India operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Commissioned in 1993, the FLP has served as a critical platform for launching a wide range of Indian satellites, particularly the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) missions.
Over the decades, the FLP has been the site of many landmark missions, playing a pivotal role in India’s expanding space program. Notable launches include key Earth observation and navigation satellites that have significantly contributed to both national and international space endeavors. The pad’s successful record is a testament to ISRO’s engineering and operational excellence.