Archive · 19 Aug 2026
ISRO Plans September GSLV Mk-II Launch After Eight-Month Pause
India’s space agency, ISRO, is preparing to launch a rocket in September.
The launch may happen around September 4 from Sriharikota.
This would be ISRO’s first launch in almost eight months.
Its previous launch, PSLV-C62, failed after a problem in the rocket’s third stage.
ISRO says corrective steps have been recommended and applied.
The September rocket is expected to carry GISAT-1A, a satellite that helps observe Earth.
Another satellite, NVS-03, is also ready for a future launch.
NVS-03 would help strengthen India’s NavIC navigation system.
The launch is still dependent on final checks and official clearances.
ISRO is tentatively planning a GSLV Mk-II launch around September 4 from Sriharikota’s Second Launch Pad.
The mission would be ISRO’s first launch since the PSLV-C62 failure on January 12, 2026.
GISAT-1A, a geo-imaging satellite for remote sensing, is expected to be the likely payload.
NVS-03 is also reportedly ready after corrective measures were implemented following the NVS-02 anomaly.
ISRO had planned seven launches in 2026, but the January failure caused subsequent missions to be deferred.
- Who
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- What
- A tentative September launch of the GSLV Mk-II, likely carrying the GISAT-1A satellite.
- When
- Around September 4, 2026, subject to final checks and clearances.
- Where
- The Second Launch Pad at Sriharikota, India.
- Why
- To resume launches after the PSLV-C62 failure and deploy a strategically important Earth-observation satellite.
- Tentative launch date
- Around September 4, 2026
- Launch vehicle
- GSLV Mk-II, expected to fly as GSLV-F17
- Likely payload
- GISAT-1A geo-imaging satellite
- Launch location
- Second Launch Pad, Sriharikota
- Previous launch
- PSLV-C62 on January 12, 2026
- Previous mission outcome
- The rocket deviated from its path after an anomaly in its third stage and fell into the ocean.
- Other satellite ready
- NVS-03, a second-generation navigation satellite
- 2026 launch plan
- ISRO had planned as many as seven launches for the year.