PSLV

Active

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)

Sept. 20, 1993

Description

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, commercially available only from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Specifications
  • Stages
    4
  • Length
    44.0 m
  • Diameter
    2.8 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    2.8 m
  • Launch Mass
    295.0 T
  • Thrust
    4847.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    PSLV
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    PSLV
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $21000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    3800.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    1200.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    1750.0 kg

Indian Space Research Organization

Government
Chairman: V. Narayanan
ISRO 1969

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of the Government of India headquartered in the city of Bangalore. Its vision is to "harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration."

Upcoming Spaceflights


PSLV | RISAT-2A

Indian Space Research Organization | India
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India
TBD December, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:

RISAT-2A is the third in the series of radar imaging RISAT satellites. The satellite carries a sophisticated synthetic aperture radar that operates at 5.35 GHz in C band.

Low Earth Orbit
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PSLV | TDS-01

Indian Space Research Organization | India
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India
TBD December, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:

TDS-01 (Technology Demonstration Satellite-01) is an Indian geostationary orbit technology demonstration satellite carrying payloads for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar and the CSIR-CEERI, Pilani. Payloads to be tested included an internally developed 300 mN electric powered thrusters, atomic clocks, travelling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA) & a quantum communication suite (QuTDS).

Geostationary Transfer Orbit
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Long March 2D
Success
3 days, 15 hours ago
4 x SatNet test satellites
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Officially described as "Satellite-Internet Technology Demonstration Satellites". Probably 4 test satellites for the Chinese state-owned LEO commu…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 18 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-41
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Atlas V 551
Success
4 days, 9 hours ago
Amazon Leo (LA-07)
Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, thi…


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 20 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-53
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 7A
Success
1 week ago
TJSW-24
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Chinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.