India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) today completed its 17th successful mission in a row when it launched the country’s remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2 from the spaceport of Sriharikota.
Today’s successful launch by PSLV-C16, which also carried two nano satellites, has again demonstrated India’s commercial launch capabilities in the multi-billion dollar global market in the sector.
After overcoming the lone failure of PSLV-D1 launched on September 20, 1993, it has been a success story all the way for the ISRO’s homegrown four-stage launch vehicle.
Since 1994, PSLV, designed and developed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, has launched a total of 44 satellites, including 25 from abroad.
Among the key launches undertaken by the PSLV are India’s maiden moon mission Chandrayaan-I in October 2008, four Cartosats and Resourcesat-1.
A standard PSLV version is 44 metres tall with a lift off weight of 295 tonne and designed to launch 1,600 kg satellites in 620 km sun-synchronous polar orbit and 1,050 kg satellite into geo-synchronous transfer orbit.
PSLV has become “a more versatile vehicle for launching multiple satellites in polar SSOs, low earth orbits and geosynchronous transfer orbit,” ISRO said.
The launch vehicle has four stages using solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately.
With its variant configurations, PSLV has proved its multi-payload, multi-mission capability in a single launch and its geosynchronous launch capability.