CURRENT AFFAIRS | 16 JUNE 2026
ISRO is likely to attempt another PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) launch soon, said Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh, as the agency works to bounce back after back-to-back failures of its trusted workhorse rocket.
ISRO has not launched since its Earth-observation satellite EOS-09 failed in January 2026. Earlier, in May 2025, a launch failed to place EOS-08 in orbit owing to a third-stage anomaly. Both setbacks were traced to faults in certain rocket stages.
For the planned attempt around end-June/July, components have been changed, though the failure-assessment committee’s report has not been made public. The launch pause has rippled across ISRO’s mission calendar, including the flagship Gaganyaan human-spaceflight programme.
The PSLV is ISRO’s most reliable vehicle, famed for launching Chandrayaan-1, the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), and a record 104 satellites in a single flight in 2017. Restoring its track record is critical to India’s space ambitions.
Institutional / Policy Framework
ISRO (headquartered in Bengaluru) functions under the Department of Space, which reports directly to the Prime Minister. Launches lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh). Commercial and reform arms include IN-SPACe (the regulator/promoter for private players) and NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial arm. The Gaganyaan mission aims to make India the fourth nation to independently send humans to space. Space is a Union subject under the executive power of the Union.
CLAT Angle
Expect science & technology questions on the PSLV, the EOS series, and the Sriharikota spaceport. Examiners love static anchors: 104 satellites (2017), Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan launched by PSLV, and Gaganyaan as India’s first crewed mission. ‘EOS = Earth Observation Satellite’ and the four-stage solid-liquid design are classic fill-in-the-blanks.
Key Facts
| Rocket | PSLV (4-stage workhorse) |
| Last failure | EOS-09, January 2026 |
| Earlier failure | EOS-08, May 2025 (3rd-stage) |
| Minister | Dr Jitendra Singh |
| Spaceport | Satish Dhawan SC, Sriharikota |
| Mission at stake | Gaganyaan (crewed) |
Mnemonic / Memory Hook
“PSLV: 09 fell in Jan, 08 fell in May — Singh aims for July.” EOS-09 failed in January 2026; EOS-08 failed in May 2025; Dr Jitendra Singh eyes a July relaunch. Anchor it with “104 in 2017, Sriharikota, Gaganyaan” for the static facts.
Why this matters for CLAT 2027: India’s space programme, launch vehicles and ISRO milestones are perennial CLAT GK favourites, and the Gaganyaan mission is a recurring current-affairs hook. Master the PSLV, the EOS-08/EOS-09 failures, Sriharikota and the 104-satellite record to ace CLAT 2027 questions on science, technology and space policy.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
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