ISRO's PSLV-C62 Mission Fails; Spanish KID Capsule Survives and Sends Data

ISRO's PSLV-C62 mission on January 12, 2026, failed to place 16 satellites, including India's DRDO surveillance satellite Anvesha, into orbit due to a third-stage anomaly causing flight path deviation. While most payloads were lost, Spanish startup Orbital Paradigm's 25-kg Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) capsule survived atmospheric re-entry, separated from the rocket, and transmitted telemetry data for over three minutes. ISRO has initiated a detailed failure analysis to address recurring third-stage issues and improve future launches.