Launch vehicles are used to carry spacecraft into space. India currently has two operational launch vehicles: PSLV and GSLV. These launch vehicles are deployed by the Indian Space Agency, ISRO.
The PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) is the third-gen launch vehicle of India. It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
The vehicle is famous for launching two major spacecraft into space, namely Chandrayaan-I in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013.
Its missions:
- launched in October 1994
- 39 consecutively successful missions by June 2017
- launched 48 Indian satellites
- 209 foreign satellites
It has consistently been proved to be a reliable and powerful launch vehicle. The height of the vehicle is 144ft. Also, the cost that is borne per launch is approximately Rs. 130 crore.
