Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
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 |
|
| Payload to SSO (620 km circular) | |
| Mass |
|
| Payload to Sub-GTO (284 × 20650 km) | |
| Mass | 1,425 kg (3,142 lb) (PSLV-XL)[2][5] |
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass |
|
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | Vega, Nuri |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Satish Dhawan Space Centre |
| Total launches | 63 |
| Success(es) | 59 |
| Failure(s) | 3 |
| Partial failure(s) | 1 |
| First flight |
|
| Last flight |
|
| Carries passengers or 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 |
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is an expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed and operated by 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]
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]
- ^ "SURPLUS MISSILE MOTORS: Sale Price Drives Potential Effects on DOD and Commercial Launch Providers". gao.gov. U.S. Government Accountability Office. 16 August 2017. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d e "Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle". Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ a b c "Access to Space" (PDF). 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "Galileo Galilei (GG) Launcher Identification And Compatibility Analysis Report" (PDF). 8 June 2009. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
VSSC_PSLVwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "PSLV". Space Launch Report. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "PSLV-C37 Brochure". ISRO. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d "PSLV_C41_Brochure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
sf101was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
CurrSci_V119_I6was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Welcome To ISRO :: Launch Vehicles". Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (23 June 2017). "Rideshare demand grows despite development of small launch vehicles". Space News. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ Tejonmayam, U (11 December 2019). "PSLV-C48 successfully launches RISAT-2BRI, 9 foreign satellites". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ Barry, Ellen (15 February 2017). "India Launches 104 Satellites From a Single Rocket, Ramping Up Space Race". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ "ISRO's record satellites' launch: 10 top facts". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^ Wattles, Jackie (24 January 2021). "SpaceX launches 143 satellites on one rocket in record-setting mission". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "PSLV C35 / Scatsat-1 with Dual Launch Adapter". Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ Cong, Indian Science (5 January 2016). "Here's the #103ISC Official Newsletter 2nd edition brought by Journalism students and researchers. 2/2 @PIB_Indiapic.twitter.com/mLq9CZnY5T". @103ISC. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ Aisha Nazeer (November 2018). "Research on PSLV-C37 Launcher by ISRO" (PDF). International Journal of Science and Research. 7 (11). Retrieved 13 May 2023.
