PSLV-C21 Home / Activities / Missions accomplished


Sep 09, 2012

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
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

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