Failures are often romanticised as stepping stones to success. In science and technology, however, the romance wears thin when the same failure repeats itself. When a system that has long been trusted begins to falter in precisely the same way, it ceases to be an accident and becomes a matter of grave concern. That is the uncomfortable question raised by the latest setback to India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

A trusted workhorse under scrutiny

For decades, the PSLV has been the Indian Space Research Organisation’s workhorse. It is the vehicle that built ISRO’s reputation for reliability, precision and value for money. Its impressive track record has not only served India’s scientific and strategic needs but has also fetched valuable foreign........

© Free Press Journal