Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)

General Studies Paper-3

Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the third developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

About

• The SSLV-D3 placed the Earth observation satellite EOS-08 precisely into orbit.
• It also marks the completion of ISRO/Department of Space’s SSLV Development Project.
• NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, and India’s private space industry can now produce SSLVs for commercial missions.

What is an SSLV?

• It is a three-stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages.
• It also has a liquid propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage, which can help adjust the velocity as it prepares to place the satellite.
• Significance: Essentially, the aim behind SSLVs is to produce low-cost launch vehicles with short turnaround times and minimal infrastructural requirements.
  • The SSLV can launch satellites weighing up to 500kg and accommodate multiple satellites.
  • Before SSLVs, smaller payloads had to be sent into Space using other launch vehicles carrying multiple, bigger satellites. They depended upon the launch schedules of those satellites.

Launch Vehicles

• Launchers or Launch Vehicles are used to carry spacecraft to space.
• India has three active operational launch vehicles: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III (LVM3).
• PSLV: PSLV has been a versatile launch vehicle deployed for launching all the three types of payloads viz. Earth Observation, Geo-stationary and Navigation. It has got highest success rate and considered as work horse of ISRO.
• GSLV with indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage has enabled the launching up to 2 tonne class of communication satellites.
• The LVM3 is the next generation launch vehicle capable of launching 4 tonne class of communication satellites and 10 tonne class of payloads to LEOs.
  • The vehicle was developed with completely indigenized technologies including the C25 cryo stage.
  • The launch vehicle has a track record of all successful launches even from the first development flight.
  • The Human rated LVM3 is identified as the launch vehicle for Gaganyaan mission, which is named as HRLV.