PSLV-C17/GSAT-12 Home / Activities / Missions accomplished


Jul 15, 2011

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C17), in its nineteenth flight, launches India's communication satellite GSAT-12 from the Second Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, Sriharikota, India. PSLV-C17 measuring 44.5 m height, with a lift off weight of 320 tonnes has four stages of solid and liquid propulsion systems alternately. In its XL Version, PSLV-XL uses six extended solid strap-on motors wherein each strap-on carries 12 tonnes of solid propellant. This is a second time such a configuration is being flown, earlier one being the PSLV-C11/Chandrayaan-I mission.

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Salient feature of PSLV-C17/GSAT-12 Mission:

  • For the first time, use of indigenously designed and developed On-Board computer (OBC) with Vikram 1601 processor in both primary and redundant chains of the vehicle. The OBC performs the functions of Navigation, Guidance and Control processing for the vehicle.
  • Use of extended solid strap-on configuration.
  • Satellite injection in elliptical transfer orbit sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
  • Five burn strategy (2 perigee burn and 3 apogee burn) for placing the GSAT-12 satellite from its sub-GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit) to Geostationary Orbit.

PSLV- C17 Stages at a Glance
STAGE-1 STAGE-2 STAGE-3 STAGE-4
Nomenclature Core Stage(PSI)+6 Strap-on Motors PS2 PS3 PS4
Propellant Solid (HTPB Based) Liquid (UH25+N2O4) Solid (HTPB Based) Liquid (MMH+MON-3)
Mass (Tonne) 138.0 (Core)+6 x 12.0 (Strap-on) 41.0 7.6 2.5
Max Thrust (kN) 4703 (Core) 6 x 670 (Strap-on) 804 244 7.3 X 2
Burn Time (sec) 107 (Core) 55 (Strap-on) 151 116 510
Stage Dia (m) 2.8 (Core) 1.0 (Strap-on) 2.8 2.0 2.8
Stage Length (m) 20 (Core) 14.7 (Strap-on) 12.8 3.6 2.6

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