Chennai, Jan. 14 -- Like a baby that generally survives a major disaster, the Spanish KID survived the disaster that struck the Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C62 (PSLV-C62) that was carrying 16 satellites on January 12, 2026 morning.
About five minutes into the flight, the PSLV-C62 rocket's solid fuel third stage stopped functioning and the rocket veered off the targeted path resulting in the mission failure.
Strangely, the Spanish KID (Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator), developed by space startup Orbital Paradigm, Spain, got ejected soon after the disaster struck.
"Our KID capsule, against all odds, separated from PSLV C62, switched on, and transmitted data. We're reconstructing trajectory. Full report will come," ...