CHENNAI: BJP national general council member K Annamalai on Sunday lauded the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for its extraordinary legacy, despite the partial failure of its latest mission, PSLV-C61.

In a social media post, Annamalai wrote, “With over 100 launch missions, 130 spacecraft missions, and 433 foreign satellite launches, ISRO stands as an epitome of success—driven by the brilliance and dedication of its scientists and engineers. Remarkably, all of this is achieved at a fraction of the cost incurred by other global space agencies. It is truly a giant among the best in the world.”

The remarks came after ISRO announced that the PSLV-C61 mission, its 101st launch attempt, faced an anomaly during the third stage.

“PSLV-C61 performance was normal till the second stage. Due to an observation in the third stage, the mission could not be accomplished,” ISRO stated.

Describing the incident as a stepping stone, Annamalai added, “As in life and other endeavours, today’s setback is merely another learning curve in ISRO’s phenomenal growth journey. Salutes and respect to all those who make our national flag soar high.”