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Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
PSLV C-35 at the launch pad (cropped).jpg
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$26 million in 2023)
-₹200 crore (equivalent to ₹235 crore or US$40 million in 2023)
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)
Stages 4
Capacity
Payload to LEO (200 km @ 30° inclination)
  • G: 3,200 kg (7,100 lb)
  • CA: 2,100 kg (4,600 lb)
  • XL: 3,800 kg (8,400 lb)
Payload to SSO (620 km circular)
  • G: 1,600 kg (3,500 lb)
  • CA: 1,100 kg (2,400 lb)
  • XL: 1,750 kg (3,860 lb)
Payload to Sub-GTO (284 × 20650 km) 1,425 kg (3,142 lb)
(PSLV-XL)
Payload to GTO
  • G: 1,150 kg (2,540 lb)
  • XL: 1,300 kg (2,900 lb)
Associated rockets
Comparable Vega, Nuri
Launch history
Status Active
Launch sites Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Total launches 62
Successes 59
Failures 2
Partial failures 1
First flight
  • PSLV-G: 20 September 1993
  • PSLV-CA: 23 April 2007
  • PSLV-XL: 22 October 2008
  • PSLV-DL: 24 January 2019
  • PSLV-QL: 1 April 2019
Last flight
  • PSLV-G: 26 September 2016
  • PSLV-CA: 30 December 2024
  • PSLV-XL: 5 December 2024
  • PSLV-DL: 1 January 2024
  • PSLV-QL: 11 December 2019
Notable payloads
Boosters (PSLV-G) – S9
No. boosters 6
Thrust 510 kN (110,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 262 s (2.57 km/s)
Burn time 44 s
Fuel HTPB
Boosters (PSLV-XL/QL/DL) – S12
No. boosters 6 (XL)
4 (QL)
2 (DL)
Length 12 m (39 ft)
Diameter 1 m (3 ft 3 in)
Propellant mass 12,200 kg (26,900 lb) each
Thrust 703.5 kN (158,200 lbf)
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
Fuel HTPB
First stage
Length 20 m (66 ft)
Diameter 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Propellant mass 138,200 kg (304,700 lb) each
Motor S139
Thrust 4,846.9 kN (1,089,600 lbf)
Specific impulse 237 s (2.32 km/s) (sea level)
269 s (2.64 km/s) (vacuum)
Burn time 110 s
Fuel HTPB
Second stage
Length 12.8 m (42 ft)
Diameter 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Propellant mass 42,000 kg (93,000 lb) each
Engines 1 Vikas
Thrust 803.7 kN (180,700 lbf)
Specific impulse 293 s (2.87 km/s)
Burn time 133 s
Fuel N2O4/UDMH
Third stage
Length 3.6 m (12 ft)
Diameter 2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Propellant mass 7,600 kg (16,800 lb) each
Motor S-7
Thrust 250 kN (56,000 lbf)
Specific impulse 295 s (2.89 km/s)
Burn time 113.5 s
Fuel HTPB
Fourth stage
Length 3 m (9.8 ft)
Diameter 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in)
Propellant mass 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) each
Engines 2 x L-2-5
Thrust 14.66 kN (3,300 lbf)
Specific impulse 308 s (3.02 km/s)
Burn time 525 s
Fuel MMH/MON

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).

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.

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. As of June 2022, PSLV has launched 345 foreign satellites from 36 countries. 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, until 24 January 2021, when SpaceX launched the Transporter-1 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 143 satellites into orbit.

Payloads can be integrated in tandem configuration employing a Dual Launch Adapter. Smaller payloads are also placed on equipment deck and customized payload adapters.

Images for kids

  • PSLV-C11 Strapon01

    PSLV-C11 strap-on

  • PSLV-C44 Integrated upto First Stage inside Mobile Service Tower

    PSLV-C44 first stage inside Mobile Service Tower

  • PSLV C50 second stage with Vikas engine

    PSLV-C50 second stage with Vikas engine

  • PSLV C45 EMISAT campaign 09

    Third and fourth stages of PSLV-C45

  • PSLV heat shield at HAL museum, Bengaluru (Ank Kumar) 01

    PSLV heat shield at HAL Aerospace Museum, Bengaluru

  • PSLV C45 EMISAT campaign 22

    PSLV-C45 lift off

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle para niños

  • Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
  • LVM3
  • Next Generation Launch Vehicle
  • Comparison of orbital launchers families
  • Medium-lift launch vehicle, 2,000 to 20,000 kg to LEO
  • Comparison of orbital rocket engines
  • Comparison of orbital launch systems
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