Guwahati, Jan 12: The Northeast’s long-cherished entry into space technology suffered a major setback on Monday after LACHIT-1, the region’s first satellite, was lost when Indian Space Research Organisation’s PSLV-C62 mission failed mid-flight.

The satellite was developed by Assam Don Bosco University. LACHIT-1 was a student-led initiative, involving more than 50 students and faculty members drawn from across the Northeast, including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. The mission reflected a rare end-to-end academic effort—spanning satellite design, integration, testing, and mission

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C62), carrying 16 satellites including LACHIT-1, encountered an anomaly during the third stage of its flight, preventing the mission from placing the payloads into their intended orbit.

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said disturbances were observed while the strap-on motors were providing thrust near the end of the third stage (PS3), leading to a deviation from the planned flight path. “A detailed analysis has been initiated to identify the cause of the anomaly,” he said.

In a brief statement on social media, ISRO confirmed: “The PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during the end of PS3 (third stage) of the vehicle. A detailed analysis has been initiated.”

A symbolic loss for the Northeast
Among the lost payloads, LACHIT-1 stood out for its symbolic importance. Named after legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, the satellite—short for Live Amateur Communication Hub for Innovative Technologies–One—represented regional pride, innovation, and aspiration.

Developed to serve the global amateur radio community, LACHIT-1 was designed to allow licensed radio operators worldwide to conduct satellite-based communication and experimentation. Its successful deployment would have marked the Northeast’s formal arrival in India’s growing space ecosystem.

That milestone, however, remained unfulfilled as the mission failed to achieve orbit, resulting in the loss of all 16 satellites onboard.

Addressing reporters later, Narayanan said, “Today we attempted the PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission. The mission could not proceed along the expected flight path. We are going through the data collected from all ground stations, and once the analysis is completed, we shall come back with details.”

The 44.4-metre-tall, four-stage rocket had lifted off at 10.18 am after a 22.5-hour countdown from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Initial phases of the launch progressed normally, but concern grew soon after third-stage ignition, when telemetry indicated abnormal behaviour.

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