PSLV Rocket Launch Falters: Inside ISRO’s Mission Analysis Process
India’s ambitious Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61) mission suffered a setback when the rocket veered off its intended trajectory during the crucial third-stage burn. This failure prevented the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-09) from reaching its intended orbit.
What Went Wrong?
The PSLV-C61 mission was intended to place the EOS-09 satellite into space, giving India a powerful tool for all-weather imaging capabilities. However, the rocket experienced an unexpected deviation in velocity during the third-stage burn, leading to the mission’s failure.
ISRO’s Response: A Meticulous Investigation
When a space mission like this falters, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) doesn’t shy away from a thorough investigation. In fact, they have a well-established process to analyze failures and pinpoint the root cause. This is crucial for ensuring future missions are safer and more reliable.
Step-by-Step Analysis
Here’s how ISRO typically tackles a mission failure like this:
- Forming a Failure Analysis Committee (FAC): ISRO assembles a team of experts from various centers, including engineers, scientists, and mission specialists. This committee reviews all available data from the mission.
- Data Dive: During the launch, ISRO’s telemetry systems collect mountains of real-time information about the rocket’s performance, such as velocity, altitude, pressure, temperature, and engine performance. The FAC meticulously examines this data, looking for any anomalies.
- Pinpointing the Deviation: The FAC compares the rocket’s actual performance with the expected profile. If there are deviations, like engine shutdowns or structural issues, they cross-reference this information with data from ground-based radar and tracking stations to reconstruct the sequence of events.
In addition to examining the flight data, ISRO also conducts simulations and scrutinizes the rocket’s design and manufacturing processes. This includes checking for potential flaws in components like engines, avionics, and guidance systems. Software algorithms controlling the rocket’s navigation and control systems are also carefully audited for errors.
Lessons Learned
The FAC ultimately compiles a detailed report outlining the root cause of the failure. This could be anything from a mechanical failure or human error to external factors like weather. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to address the issue, leading to design modifications or procedural changes.
ISRO has a remarkable track record of learning from its failures. Past missions, like PSLV-C1 in 1993 and EOS-03, taught valuable lessons that led to improvements in testing protocols and active mechanisms. This commitment to continuous improvement ensures that each setback becomes a stepping stone towards future successes in space exploration.
(Manish Purohit, a former ISRO scientist with extensive experience in managing critical space missions and solar energy projects, including the Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan-2 missions, provided insights for this article.)
