Launch Vehicles of ISRO

  Launch Vehicles of ISRO 

There are 5 types of launch vehicles developed by ISRO, in which 2 have been retired (GSLV  Mk I, a variant of GSLV have also been retired) & 3 are in service.

There are 3 launch vehicles currently used by ISRO:

PSLV, GSLV Mk II, GSLV Mk III 

1. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV):

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is an expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed and operated by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is the third generation launch vehicle of India. It is the 1st Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages. After its first successful launch in October 1994, PSLV emerged as the reliable and versatile workhorse  launch vehicle of India with 39 consequently successful missions  by June 2017.

    Some notable payload launch by PSLV include India's 1st lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, India's 1st interplanetary mission, Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) & India's 1st space observatory, Astrosat.

   As of December 2019, PSLV has launched 319 foreign satellites from 33 countries. On 15th February 2017, PSLV C37 had successfully developed 104 satellite in sun- synchronous orbit.

  As of December 2019, the PSLV has made 50 launches with 47 successfully reaching their planned orbits, 2 outright failure and 1 partial failure, yielding a success rate of  94%.

Vehicle Specification 

 Height: 44 m

Diameter: 2.8 m

Number of Stages: 4

Lift off Mass: 320 tonnes (XL)

Variants: 5(PSLV-G, PSLV-CA, Pslv-XL, PSLV-DL, PSLV-QL)

First Flight: 10th September, 1993

Technical Specifications 

Payload to LEO: 3800 kg

Payload to SSO: 1750 kg

Payload to Sub GTO: 1425 kg

Payload to GTO: 1200 kg

2. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

GSLV is an expendable medium- lift launch vehicle operated by ISRO. It is the 4th generation launch vehicle of India. It is a three stage vehicle  with four liquid strap-ons. The indigenously developed cryogenic engine, forms the third stage.

South Asia Satellite is a notable payload launched by GSLV, the satellite is in service with all SAARC countries (except Pakistan).

GSLV was used in 13 launches from 2001 to 2018, with more launches panned in future. Is has 8 successful launches, 2 partial failure & 3 failure, with a overall success rate of 61%.

GSLV Mk I had a success rate of 33% & GSLV Mk II has a success rate of 85%.

Vehicle  Specification:

Height: 49.13 m

Diameter: 2.8 m

Number of stages: 3

Lift off Mass: 414.75 tonnes 

Variant: GSLV Mk I (retired)

              GSLV Mk II (in service)

First flight: 18th April, 2001

Technical Specifications:

Payload to LEO: 5000 kg

Payload to GTO: 2700 kg

3. GSLV Mark III 

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) also known as the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM 3) is a three stage expandable medium- lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO. It is primarily designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit, it is also developed as a launch vehicle for crewed mission under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. 

Notable payloads  launched by GSLV MkIII are CARE (Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Equipment) & Chandrayaan-2, India's 2nd lunar mission.

In future it will be used to carry Gaganyaan, the first crew mission under Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.

The 1st state consists of two S200 solid motors, also known as Large Solid Boosters (LSB) attached to the core stage. The 2nd stage, L110 is a liquid- fuelled stage, it is powered by two Vikas 2 engines. The cryogenic upper stage, C25, it is powered by CE-20 engine.

GSLV Mk III has made 4 launches with 4 successful launches, with a success rate of 100%.

 

Vehicle Specifications:

Height: 43.4 m

Diameter: 4 m

Number of stages: 3

Lift off Mass: 640 tonnes 

First flight: 18th December, 2014

Technical Specifications:

 

Payload to LEO: 10000 kg

Payload to GTO: 4000 kg