What makes launch service SSLV different from PSLV? Details inside
On 7th August 2022 at 9:18 am (IST), the Indian Space Agency – ISRO will undertake the maiden launch of the SSLV-D1/EOS-02 Mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. SSLV is the newly developed Small Satellite Launch vehicle which has been developed with the aim to cater to the on-demand satellite launch market. The lucrative multi-billion-dollar market is responsible for fueling space aspirations across the world, with private companies like SpaceX leading the scoreboard of the game.
The cost-effective solution vehicle will inject the 135-kilogram satellite into a low-earth orbit of about 350km to the equator with AzadiSat developed by 750 girls.
Despite other launch vehicles, what is the need for SSLV?
As the name suggests, SSLV or the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle’s sole purpose is to launch small satellites and therefore, free up the most popular launch vehicle – PSLV for bigger missions to space. Since 1999, India’s workhorse PSLV is providing launch services for customer satellites. As of 30th June 2022, India has launched 346 satellites for 36 different countries onboard PSLV.
With the outlay of Rs 169 crores, the centre has allocated a budget for the development of the project, which is to cover the development & qualification of the vehicle systems and the flight demonstration through three development flights, SSLV-D1, SSLV-D2, and SSLV-D3.
A look at the difference between PSLV & SSLV
Getting built on a completely commercial aspect, SSLV and PSLV are very different from each other even though they both are used for satellite launches into Low Earth Orbit. The height dimension of PSLV is 44 meters while SSLV tops at 34 meters. The newly developed rocket has been configured with three solid stages the 87 t, 7.7 t, and 4.5 t respectively, as against the PSLV, which is a four-stage rocket that generates 4800 kN thrust in the first stage, 799 kN in the second, 240 kN in the third and 15 kN in fourth.
Taking the payload capacity as the point of comparison, the two satellites are equally powerful in lifting big structures off the ground. While the SSLV has been designed to carry objects ranging from 10 kilograms to 500 kilograms to a 500-kilometre planar orbit, the PSLV can deposit 1,750 kilograms of payload to Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbits of 600 km altitude.
It is worth noting that PSLV takes a big win in overall comparison, but SSLV wins when it comes to turn-around time. Turn-around time implies the readying of a rocket for the next launch and SSLV can be prepared and shifted to the launch pad in just over 72 hours, as against the two months required to prep the PSLV.
SSLV is expected to beat the SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket, which takes 21 days of turn-around time.
“SSLV provides low-cost access to space on-demand basis. It offers low turn-around time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, launch-on-demand feasibility, minimal launch infrastructure requirements,” Isro has said.
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