Sep 09, 2012
PSLV-C21
India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its twenty-second flight (PSLV-C21) launched French earth observation satellite SPOT 6 along with a micro-satellite from Japan in to a 655 km polar orbit inclined at an angle of 98.23 deg to the equator. PSLV-C21 launched from the First Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota.
With a lift-off mass of 712 kg, SPOT 6 is the heaviest satellite launched by PSLV for an international customer as on Sep 2012. The Japanese micro-satellite PROITERES, carried as an auxiliary payload, has a lift-off mass of 15 kg. PSLV-C21 is the eighth flight of PSLV in 'core-alone' configuration (without solid strap-on motors).
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PSLV- C21 Stages at a Glance
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| STAGE-1 | STAGE-2 | STAGE-3 | STAGE-4 | |
| Nomenclature | PS1 | PS2 | PS3 | PS4 |
| Propellant | Solid (HTPB Based) |
Liquid (UH25 + N2O4) |
Solid (HTPB Based) |
Liquid (MMH + MON-3) |
| Mass (Tonne) | 138.0 | 41.0 | 7.6 | 2.5 |
| Max Thrust (kN) | 4787 | 804 | 242 | 7.3 X 2 |
| Burn Time (sec) | 102 | 148 | 110 | 526 |
| Stage Dia (m) | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.8 |
| Stage Length (m) | 20 | 12.8 | 3.6 | 2.6 |
| Control | SITVC for Pitch & Yaw, Reaction Control Thrusters for Roll Control | Engine Gimbal for Pitch & Yaw, Hot Gas Reaction Control Motor for Roll Control | Flex Nozzle for Pitch & Yaw, PS4 Reaction Control System (RCS) for Roll Control | Engine Gimbal for Pitch, Yaw & Roll, on-off RCS for Coast Phase Control |