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Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
Indian expendable launch vehicle for launching satellites, developed by ISRO / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is an expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into Sun-synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV in 1993, only commercially available from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).[11]
![]() PSLV-C35 on the SDSC FLP | |
Function | Medium-lift launch system |
---|---|
Manufacturer | ISRO |
Country of origin | India |
Cost per launch | ₹130 crore (equivalent to ₹153 crore or US$18 million in 2023) -₹200 crore (equivalent to ₹235 crore or US$28 million in 2023)[1] |
Size | |
Height | 44 m (144 ft) |
Diameter | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
Mass | PSLV-G: 295,000 kg (650,000 lb) PSLV-CA: 230,000 kg (510,000 lb) PSLV-XL: 320,000 kg (710,000 lb)[2] |
Stages | 4 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO (200 km @ 30° inclination) | |
Mass |
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Payload to SSO (620 km circular) | |
Mass |
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Payload to Sub-GTO (284 × 20650 km) | |
Mass | 1,425 kg (3,142 lb) (PSLV-XL)[2][5] |
Payload to GTO | |
Mass |
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Associated rockets | |
Comparable | Vega, Nuri |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | Satish Dhawan Space Centre |
Total launches | 60 |
Success(es) | 57 |
Failure(s) | 2 |
Partial failure(s) | 1 |
First flight |
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Last flight |
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Type of passengers/cargo | |
Boosters (PSLV-G) – S9 | |
No. boosters | 6 |
Maximum thrust | 510 kN (110,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 262 s (2.57 km/s) |
Burn time | 44 s |
Propellant | HTPB |
Boosters (PSLV-XL/QL/DL) – S12 | |
No. boosters | 6 (XL) 4 (QL) 2 (DL) |
Height | 12 m (39 ft)[7] |
Diameter | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) |
Propellant mass | 12,200 kg (26,900 lb) each |
Powered by | off |
Maximum thrust | 703.5 kN (158,200 lbf)[8] |
Total thrust | 4,221 kN (949,000 lbf) (XL) 2,814 kN (633,000 lbf) (QL) 1,407 kN (316,000 lbf) (DL) |
Specific impulse | 262 s (2.57 km/s) |
Burn time | 70 s |
Propellant | HTPB |
First stage | |
Height | 20 m (66 ft)[7] |
Diameter | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
Propellant mass | 138,200 kg (304,700 lb) each[7][2] |
Powered by | S139 |
Maximum thrust | 4,846.9 kN (1,089,600 lbf)[8] |
Specific impulse | 237 s (2.32 km/s) (sea level) 269 s (2.64 km/s) (vacuum) |
Burn time | 110 s |
Propellant | HTPB |
Second stage | |
Height | 12.8 m (42 ft)[7] |
Diameter | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
Propellant mass | 42,000 kg (93,000 lb) each[7] |
Powered by | 1 Vikas |
Maximum thrust | 803.7 kN (180,700 lbf)[8] |
Specific impulse | 293 s (2.87 km/s) |
Burn time | 133 s |
Propellant | N2O4/UDMH |
Third stage | |
Height | 3.6 m (12 ft)[7] |
Diameter | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) |
Propellant mass | 7,600 kg (16,800 lb) each[7] |
Powered by | S-7[9] |
Maximum thrust | 250 kN (56,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 295 s (2.89 km/s) |
Burn time | 113.5 s[10] |
Propellant | HTPB |
Fourth stage | |
Height | 3 m (9.8 ft)[7] |
Diameter | 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) |
Propellant mass | 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) each[7] |
Powered by | 2 x L-2-5[9] |
Maximum thrust | 14.66 kN (3,300 lbf)[8] |
Specific impulse | 308 s (3.02 km/s) |
Burn time | 525 s |
Propellant | MMH/MON |
Some notable payloads launched by PSLV include India's first lunar probe Chandrayaan-1, India's first interplanetary mission, Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), India's first space observatory, Astrosat and India's first Solar mission, Aditya-L1.[2]
PSLV has gained credibility as a leading provider of rideshare services for small satellites, owing to its numerous multi-satellite deployment campaigns with auxiliary payloads, usually ride-sharing along with an Indian primary payload.[12] As of June 2022, PSLV has launched 345 foreign satellites from 36 countries.[13] Most notable among these was the launch of PSLV-C37 on 15 February 2017, successfully deploying 104 satellites in Sun-synchronous orbit, tripling the previous record held by Russia for the highest number of satellites sent to space on a single launch,[14][15] until 24 January 2021, when SpaceX launched the Transporter-1 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 143 satellites into orbit.[16]
Payloads can be integrated in tandem configuration employing a Dual Launch Adapter.[17][18] Smaller payloads are also placed on equipment deck and customized payload adapters.[19]