ISRO's maiden SSLV mission FAILS, 'Failure of sensor... satellites no longer usable'

ISRO maiden SSLV mission has reportedly failed.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday said the satellites onboard its maiden Small Satellite Launch Vehicle "are no longer usable" after the SSLV-D1 placed them in an elliptical orbit instead of a circular one. The space agency said a committee would analyse and make recommendations into today's episode and with the implementation of those recommendations "ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2."

"SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit. Satellites are no longer usable. Issue is reasonably identified. Failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action caused the deviation," ISRO said in an update on its official Twitter handle.

(1/2) SSLV-D1/EOS-02 Mission update: SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit. Satellites are no longer usable. Issue is reasonably identified. Failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action — ISRO (@isro) August 7, 2022

It added a detailed statement by ISRO Chairman S Somanath will be "uploaded soon." In its maiden SSLV mission, the launch vehicle carried The Earth Observation Satellite EOS-02 and the co-passenger student satellites AzaadiSAT.

(2/2) caused the deviation. A committee would analyse and recommend. With the implementation of the recommendations, ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2.
A detailed statement by Chairman, ISRO will be uploaded soon.

— ISRO (@isro) August 7, 2022

SSLV had suffered 'data loss' in its terminal stage, after performing "as expected" in all stages. It had earlier after lifted off from the spaceport here on Sunday morning.