'Will not have any impact': ISRO chief denies possibilities in Gaganyaan mission delay after PSLV launch failure

ISRO Chief Reassures Nation on Gaganyaan Timeline

Dr V Narayanan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, firmly stated that the Gaganyaan mission faces no delays despite the recent PSLV-C62 launch setback.

Speaking at the national-level AJK Excellent Educator Awards in Coimbatore on Saturday, he addressed concerns head-on, highlighting the independence of the two programs. The PSLV-C62 mission, launched on January 12 from Sriharikota, encountered a third-stage anomaly that caused a deviation in its flight path, affecting the deployment of the Anvesha or EOS-N1 satellite along with 15 co-passengers.

Narayanan explained that ISRO is thoroughly investigating the issue, but stressed it as an isolated incident with no bearing on Gaganyaan's preparations. This reassurance comes at a time when India is pushing boundaries in space exploration, building on successes like the Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing.

Understanding the PSLV-C62 Setback and Its Limited Scope

The PSLV-C62 was ISRO's first major launch of 2026, marking the ninth dedicated commercial mission handled by NewSpace India Limited. It aimed to place an Earth observation satellite into orbit, with contributions from private players like Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space, which provided seven satellites.

The Gaganyaan mission remains unaffected by the significant deviation that occurred in the recently launched PSLV-C62 mission in its third stage. These two are independent programs, and it will not have any impact. The investigation is ongoing.

Near the end of the third stage burn, the vehicle experienced increased disturbances, leading to a path deviation that compromised the mission objectives. Narayanan noted during the post-launch briefing that performance was as expected until that point, and data analysis is underway to pinpoint the cause.

Importantly, Gaganyaan relies on a different launch vehicle—the human-rated LVM3, or HLVM3, which has a perfect track record from nine previous flights. This distinction underscores why the PSLV glitch, while disappointing, does not ripple into the human spaceflight program. India's space agency has built redundancies and rigorous testing protocols to safeguard crewed missions.

Gaganyaan's Progress and India's Ambitious Space Vision

Gaganyaan represents India's bold entry into crewed spaceflight, designed to send three astronauts into low Earth orbit at 400 km altitude for up to three days, with a potential extension to seven. The program, announced in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, boasts over 70% indigenous components under the Make in India initiative, including partnerships with DRDO for life support and re-entry tech.

Key milestones include successful TV-D1 and TV-D2 test flights validating the crew escape system, and recent parachute tests in November 2025 that confirmed stable descent and soft landing capabilities. As of late 2025, about 90% of development is complete, with the first uncrewed orbital test, Gaganyaan-1, eyed for early 2026, followed by crewed flights possibly by late 2026 or early 2027.

Narayanan also shared broader goals, like starting work on an Indian space station by 2028 for operation by 2035, enabling microgravity research. He tied this to India's economic rise—now fourth globally—fueling investments in aerospace. Past feats, such as the Moon's South Pole soft landing and solar observation capabilities, showcase precision engineering on a budget. Liftoff for Gaganyaan is set from Sriharikota, elevating India's global space stature.

In summary, ISRO's leadership has quelled fears over the PSLV-C62 failure, affirming Gaganyaan's steady path forward amid India's expanding space endeavors, from orbital flights to future stations.