LACHIT-1 lost after PSLV-C62 anomaly, but students across the Northeast complete region’s first satellite mission
The Northeast’s first satellite mission ended in setback on Monday after ISRO’s PSLV-C62 rocket failed to place its payload into orbit, resulting in the loss of all 16 satellites onboard, including LACHIT-1, a landmark project led by Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) with participation from students across the region.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said disturbances were observed in the launch vehicle during the third stage (PS3) of the mission, leading to a deviation from the intended flight path. As a result, the mission could not achieve its objective of deploying the satellites into their designated orbit. A detailed technical analysis has been initiated to determine the cause of the anomaly.
Despite the failure, the mission marked a historic first for the Northeast, which participated directly in satellite development, launch preparation and mission operations for the first time.
LACHIT-1, short for Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies One, was developed under Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space’s Polar Access-1 programme, with students and faculty from Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur involved in the project. Over 50 students and faculty members took part in the complete mission cycle, from design and integration to testing and launch-readiness reviews.
Named after legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, the satellite symbolised the Northeast’s growing technological ambition and scientific capability. Had it been successfully deployed, LACHIT-1 would have functioned as a store-and-forward amateur radio satellite, enabling satellite-based messaging and serving as a backup communication system during disasters such as floods and landslides, when conventional networks often fail.
Confirming the failure, ISRO said in a statement that the PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly towards the end of the third stage, adding that further information would be shared after analysis of flight data from all ground stations.
Addressing a brief press conference, Narayanan, who is also Secretary, Department of Space, said, “The mission could not proceed along the expected flight path. We are analysing the data and will come back with detailed findings.”
The failure marks the second consecutive setback for the PSLV, following the unsuccessful PSLV-C61 mission in May 2025.
The 44.4-metre-tall, four-stage rocket lifted off at 10.18 am after a 22.5-hour countdown, with the initial phases of the flight proceeding as planned before the anomaly was detected during the third stage.
While the loss of LACHIT-1 has delayed the Northeast’s formal entry into orbit, the mission has already established a critical foundation by building regional expertise in satellite engineering, mission operations and ground-station management, laying the groundwork for future space endeavours from the region.
(With inputs from PTI & The Assam Tribune)
