PSLV - The Workhorse of ISRO

PSLV had been one of the most favored launch vehicles for a long time due to its capability of carrying multiple payloads and even placing different payloads into different orbits if the mission demanded such. Here, we get to know the 'Workhorse of ISRO' as clear as possible.

Breakdown

P --> Polar

S --> Satellite

L --> Launch

V --> Vehicle

3rd generation launch vehicle of India.
1st Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
Developed to launch IRS satellites into sun-synchronous orbits.

PSLV C-34 takeoff. (Credit: ISRO)

Specifications

Height: 44 m (144 ft.)

Diameter: 2.8 m (9 ft. 2 in.)

Number of Stages: 4

STAGE-I

Stage-I of PSLV rocket. (Credit: ISRO)

Length: 20 m (66 ft.)

Diameter: 2.8 m (9.2 ft.)

Propellant mass: 1,38,200 kg each

Engine: S139

Fuel: Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)

Maximum Thrust: 4800 kN

Read: PISAT

STAGE-II

Stage-II of PSLV rocket. (Credit: ISRO)

Length: 12.8 m (42 ft.)

Diameter: 2.8 m (9.2 ft.)

Propellant mass: 42,000 kg each

Engine: Vikas

Fuel: Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) + N2O4

Maximum Thrust: 799 kN

STAGE-III

Stacking of 4th stage upon the 3rd stage of a PSLV rocket.
(Credit: ISRO)

Length: 3.6 m (9.8 ft.)

Diameter: 2 m (6.6 ft.)

Propellant mass: 7,600 kg each

Engine: S-7

Fuel: HTPB

Maximum Thrust: 240 kN

STAGE-IV

Stage-IV of PSLV rocket. (Credit: ISRO)

Length: 3 m (9.8 ft.)

Diameter: 1.3 m (4.3 ft.)

Propellant mass: 2,500 kg each

Engines: 2 x PS-4

Fuel: Monomethylhydrazine (MMH) + Mixed oxides of Nitrogen (MON)

Maximum Thrust: 14.66 kN

Lift-off Mass: 320 tonnes (XL)

Variants: PSLV-G, PSLV-CA, PSLV-XL

First Flight: 10th September 1993

Achievements: Successfully carried payloads including Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan, and Astrosat. As of December 2019, 319 satellites from 33 countries have been successfully launched to space by PSLV. On 15th February 2017, PSLV C-37 carried 104 satellites, placing them in sun-synchronous orbit, thereby setting a new record for the highest number of satellites sent to space on a single launch.