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Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Variant and Significance

ISRO is set to launch an Earth observation satellite using PSLV rockets. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is an expendable launch vehicle developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It primarily launches satellites into polar orbits, geosynchronous transfer orbits (GTO), and sun-synchronous orbits. The PSLV is one of the most successful and reliable launch vehicles in ISRO’s fleet.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is a prominent Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) development, belonging to the medium-lift launcher category. It has the capability to access various orbits, such as the Geo Synchronous Transfer Orbit, Lower Earth Orbit, and Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit. PSLV operations are centred at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s east coast.

About PSLV Rockets
Stands For Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
Generation 3rd
Title Given Workhorse of ISRO (due to the highest success rate)
Variants 4 (CA,DL,QL,XL)
First Flight September 20, 1993

Configuration and Stages of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle

  1. First Stage: PSLV features a four-stage system that combines solid and liquid-fueled rocket stages. The first stage, located at the base, is solid-fueled and is augmented by six strap-on solid rocket boosters.
  2. Second Stage: The second stage is powered by liquid fuel, providing additional thrust during launch.
  3. Third Stage: The third stage is solid-fueled, contributing to the launcher’s propulsion system.
  4. Fourth Stage: The fourth stage uses liquid propellant to achieve orbital insertion.

PSLV Rockets

Payload Capacity

The launch vehicle’s weight can range between 229,000, 296,000, or 320,000 kilograms, depending on mission requirements. PSLV can be tailored to three distinct configurations:

  • Standard Version: The flagship version can carry up to 1,050 kilograms into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit and 1,600 kilograms into Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit.
  • Core Alone: Launched without the six strap-on boosters and with less upper-stage propellant, this configuration is primarily designed for missions with smaller payloads.
  • XL Version: The XL variant includes additional propellant in the strap-on solid rocket boosters, enabling a higher payload capacity.

Notable Launches

As of September 2015, PSLV has an impressive track record, with 87 successful satellite launches into various orbits. Notable launches include:

  1. Chandrayaan-1: India’s first moon probe.
  2. Mangalyaan-1: India’s inaugural Mars orbiter mission.
  3. Astrosat: India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory.

Significance of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)

  • 1st Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
  • Successfully launched two spacecraft – Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013.
  • Launch various satellites into Geosynchronous and Geostationary orbits, like satellites from the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) Constellation
Applications of IRNSS
  • Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation
  • Disaster Management
  • Vehicle tracking and fleet management
  • Integration with mobile phones
  • Visual and voice navigation for drivers
  • Precise Timing
  • Mapping and Geodetic data capture

PSLV Variant

PSLV Variant No. of Strap-On Motors Payload Capability to SSPO (600 km) Payload Capability to Sub GTO (284 x 20,650 km)
PSLV-CA Nil 1019 Kg Not Applicable
PSLV-DL Two 1257 Kg Not Applicable
PSLV-QL Four Not Applicable Not Applicable
PSLV-XL Six 1523 Kg 1425 Kg

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Orbital Experimental Module

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) serves as a platform for conducting in-orbit experiments using the usually discarded final stage of the ISRO’s PSLV rocket.

In the recent PSLV-C53 mission, the PS4 stage was repurposed as a “stabilised platform” for these experiments. POEM carries six payloads, including contributions from Indian space startups Digantara and Dhruva Space. To keep POEM operational and stable in orbit, ISRO has implemented several key features:

  • Power Generation: POEM will draw power from solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank, harnessing energy from the sun. Additionally, it is equipped with a Li-Ion battery to store and provide power as needed.
  • Navigation: The platform will use multiple systems for navigation, including “four sun sensors” to track the sun’s position, a magnetometer for measuring the Earth’s magnetic field, gyros for orientation, and NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) for satellite-based positioning and timing information.
  • Control Thrusters: POEM features dedicated control thrusters that use stored helium gas to control and adjust its position and orientation in orbit, ensuring stability.
  • Telecommand: It is equipped with a telecommand feature, which allows ground control to send instructions and commands to the module, enabling active management and operation of the platform.

PSLV vs SSLV

  PSLV SSLV
Full Name Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle Small Satellite Launch Vehicle
Development Stage Established and operational since 1993 In development, as of my last knowledge cutoff in September 2021
Launch Capacity Medium-lift launcher Light-lift launcher
Payload Capacity Varies depending on configuration, but typically capable of launching payloads ranging from 1,000 to 1,900 kilograms into various orbits Targeted at launching small satellites, with payloads ranging from 500 to 700 kilograms into sun-synchronous orbits
Variants Multiple variants available (CA, DL, QL, XL) Designed as a dedicated small satellite launch vehicle
Stages Four-stage system (solid and liquid-fueled) Intended to have a two-stage configuration
Primary Use Used for launching a wide range of satellites, including Earth observation, communication, navigation, and scientific satellites Designed specifically for launching small satellites, including CubeSats and small payloads, with a focus on dedicated and cost-effective launches
Mission Flexibility Known for its adaptability and versatility, capable of various mission profiles and orbital destinations Intended to streamline small satellite launches, offering more cost-effective and dedicated solutions for the emerging small satellite market
Track Record Successful track record with numerous missions, both for Indian and international customers In development, awaiting its maiden flight, with expectations of providing dedicated launches for small satellite constellations
Operational Status Currently operational and widely used by ISRO In development, planned for future operational use
Mission Frequency Regularly used for a variety of missions Intended to support a higher launch frequency for small satellite missions
Launch Center Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, India Intended to be launched from the same location, SDSC SHAR, as well as other potential sites

Recent PSLV Launches

Year Launcher Type/Title Payload Description
Dec 30, 2024 PSLV C60/SPADEX Mission SPADEX-A, SPADEX-B, POEM-4 The PSLV-C60/SPADEX flight, which was carried out on December 30, 2024, was an affordable technology demonstration by ISRO to demonstrate in-space docking of two small satellites (SDX01 & SDX02).
Dec 05, 2024 PSLV-C59/Proba-3 Mission Proba-3 The PSLV-C59/Proba-3 mission, launched on 5 December 2024, was a joint mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA). The PSLV-C59 rocket successfully placed ESA’s Proba-3 satellites in a highly elliptical orbit.
Jan 01, 2024 PSLV-C58/XPoSat Mission XPoSat The PSLV-C58/XPoSat mission, launched on January 1, 2024, was a remarkable achievement for India’s space program. It successfully placed the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) in orbit, making India the second country in the world to have a specialised observatory to study the polarization of cosmic X-rays.
Sep 02, 2023 PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission Aditya-L1 payloads The September 2, 2023, launch of PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 was India’s maiden solo scientific mission to observe the Sun. The Aditya-L1 spacecraft is placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth system’s Lagrange point 1 (L1), situated at a distance of roughly 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.
July 30, 2023 PSLV-C56/DS-SAR Mission DS-SAR The PSLV-C56/DS-SAR mission on July 30, 2023, was a dedicated commercial launch by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for ST Engineering, Singapore. DS-SAR, a 360 kg Radar Imaging Earth Observation satellite, was the main payload.
Apr 22, 2023 PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 Mission TeLEOS-2 The PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 launch on April 22, 2023, was a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for Singapore. The main payload was TeLEOS-2, a 741 kg Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Earth Observation satellite developed under a collaboration between DSTA (on behalf of the Government of Singapore) and ST Engineering.
Nov 26, 2022 PSLV-C54/EOS-06 Mission EOS_06 The PSLV-C54/EOS-06 mission was launched on November 26, 2022, successfully. It was the 56th launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the 24th launch of the PSLV-XL variant.
Jun 30, 2022 PSLV-C53/DS-EO Mission DS-EO The PSLV-C53/DS-EO mission was carried out on 30 June 2022. It was the 55th launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the 15th mission employing the PSLV-Core Alone (PSLV-CA) configuration. This was the second exclusive commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
Feb 14, 2022 PSLV-C52/EOS-04 Mission EOS-04 (formerly known as RISAT-1A) The PSLV-C52/EOS-04 mission was launched successfully on February 14, 2022. It was the 54th flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the 23rd mission utilizing the PSLV-XL configuration.
2021 PSLV-C51 Amazonia-1 Launched Amazonia-1, an optical earth observation satellite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) along with 18 co-passengers on February 28, 2021, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
2020 PSLV-XL/PSLV-C50 CMS-01 Launched India’s Communication Satellite on 17th December 2020 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Harikota, Andhra Pradesh) into Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO).
2020 PSLV-DL/PSLV-C49 EOS-01 Launched an Earth observation satellite along with nine international customer satellites from SDSC SHAR on 7th November 2020 into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
2019 PSLV-QL/PSLV-C48 RISAT-2BR 1 Launched an Earth observation satellite along with nine commercial satellites from Israel, Italy, Japan, and the US on 11th December 2019. It marked the 75th launch vehicle mission.
2019 PSLV-XL/PSLV-C47 Cartosat-3 Launched the third-generation agile advanced satellite along with 13 commercial nanosatellites from the US on 27th November 2019 into Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit (SSPO).
2019 PSLV-CA/PSLV-C46 RISAT-2B Launched RISAT-2B without solid strap-on motors on 22nd May 2019.
2019 PSLV-C45 EMISAT Injected EMISAT into orbit on 1st April 2019, along with 28 international customer satellites.
2019 PSLV-C44 Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 Launched Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits on 24th January 2019 from SDSC SHAR.

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Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) UPSC

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is a versatile and reliable launch vehicle developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is used to launch satellites into a range of orbits, including polar orbits, geosynchronous transfer orbits (GTO), and sun-synchronous orbits.

PSLV features a four-stage system with solid and liquid-fueled stages, and its payload capacity can be adjusted to mission requirements, with variants like PSLV-CA, PSLV-DL, PSLV-QL, and PSLV-XL. Notable PSLV launches include Chandrayaan-1, India’s first moon probe, Mangalyaan-1, its inaugural Mars orbiter mission, and Astrosat, the first Indian multi-wavelength space observatory. ISRO also introduced the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) for dedicated small satellite missions.

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Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) FAQs

What is the PSLV?

The PSLV, or Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, is an expendable launch vehicle developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

What is the primary purpose of the PSLV?

The PSLV is primarily used to launch satellites into various orbits, including polar orbits, geosynchronous transfer orbits (GTO), and sun-synchronous orbits.

Where are PSLV operations centered?

PSLV operations are centered at the Satish Dhawan Space Center on India's east coast.

How many stages does the PSLV have, and what types of propulsion do they use?

The PSLV features a four-stage system that combines solid and liquid-fueled rocket stages.

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