PSLV Launch today

PSLV Launch on 12th October at 11:00 am IST

Watch it live at http://www.isro.org/scripts/livewebcast.aspx

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, commonly known by its abbreviation PSLV, is an expendable launch system developed 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, commercially viable only from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The PSLV has launched 41 satellites (19 Indian and 22 from other countries) into a variety of orbits to date.


The Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) for PSLV-C18/Megha-Tropiques mission, which met on October 9, 2011 at Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SDSC) - SHAR, Sriharikota has cleared the launch of PSLV-C18 at 11:00 hrs (IST) on Wednesday, October 12, 2011.

The 50 hour countdown commenced at 09:00 hours today (October 10, 2011). During the Countdown, propellant-filling operations of the liquid propellant second stage (PS2) and fourth stage (PS4) of the launch vehicle will be carried out. Mandatory checks on the launch vehicle and spacecraft including charging of batteries and pressurisation of propellant tanks will be performed. Readiness of various ground systems such as tracking radar systems and communication networks will also be checked.

PSLV-C18 will inject Megha-Tropiques satellite into an orbit of 867 km altitude at an inclination of 20 deg with respect to equator. PSLV will also inject SRMSat from SRM University, Chennai, JUGNU from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and Vesselsat-1 from Luxembourg.