Spanish satellite prototype withstands extreme gravity during mission anomaly.
In a remarkable turn of events amidst the recent disappointment of the ISRO PSLV-C62 mission, a silver lining has emerged from the debris. The Kestrel Initial Demonstrator (KID) capsule, a payload developed by the Spanish startup Orbital Paradigm, successfully survived the launch failure and managed to transmit critical data back to Earth.
This survival story is being hailed as a "miracle" by space technology experts. While the primary mission faced a deviation in the rocket's third stage, leading to the loss of the primary payloads, the 25-kg KID capsule defied the odds. According to Orbital Paradigm, the football-sized prototype not only separated from the rocket’s fourth stage but also endured punishing conditions that would typically destroy experimental hardware.
Defying Gravity and Heat
Orbital Paradigm shared the stunning update on social media, confirming that the KID capsule switched on and transmitted telemetry for over three minutes. The device recorded peak gravitational loads of approximately 28g and withstood intense internal temperatures. This resilience validates the company's reusable re-entry technology, which is designed to handle splashdowns in the South Pacific Ocean for future satellite servicing.
A Silver Lining for Space Innovation
This incident occurred during ISRO's first launch of 2026 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The PSLV-C62 mission was carrying the EOS-N1 strategic imaging satellite and several co-passengers. While the mission did not achieve its intended orbit due to the anomaly, the performance of the KID capsule highlights the robustness of modern CubeSat-scale innovations.
Experts believe the off-nominal data gathered during this unplanned re-entry will be invaluable. It proves that even in failure, science can advance. As ISRO investigates the third-stage deviation to prepare for upcoming missions like Gaganyaan, the survival of the KID capsule stands as a testament to engineering resilience. Orbital Paradigm is expected to release a full technical report soon, which could accelerate the development of their Kestrel program.
