Indian Space Program

The original Indian SLV-3 launch vehicle was a four-stage, solid-propellant booster with a LEO payload capacity of less than 50 kg into an orbit with a mean altitude of 600 km at an inclination of 47 degrees. Following an initial failure, the SLV-3 successfully orbited three Rohini Satellites in 1980, 1981, and 1983, respectively . The ASLV was created by adding two additional boosters modified from the SLV-3's first stage and by making other general improvements to the basic SLV-3 4 stage stack. The ASLV is actually a five-stage vehicle since the core first stage does not ignite until just before the booster rockets burn out. The payload capacity of the ASLV is approximately 150 kg to an orbit of 400 km with a 47 degree inclination.

The first launch of the ASLV on 24 March 1987 failed when the bottom stage of the core vehicle did not ignite after booster burn-out. The second attempt ended with the Rohini payload falling into the Bay of Bengal on 13 July 1988 when the vehicle became unstable and broke up soon after release of the booster rockets. Finally, on 20 May 1992 the SROSS 3 (Stretched Rohini Satellite Series) was inserted into LEO by the third ASLV. However, instead of obtaining a circular orbit near 400 km, the ASLV only achieved a short-lived orbit of 256 km by 435 km, not unlike the degraded performance of the SLV-3 launch of 31 May 1981.

The fourth ASLV mission in May, 1994 successfully reached its programmed orbit of 434 km by 921 km with the SROSS C2 payload. The vehicle is likely to be phased out shortly in favor of the PSLV and due to a desire to deploy larger, more complex spacecraft than can be lifted by the ASLV.

ASLV

Background Information

First Launch:: March 1987 (Launch Failure)
Flight Rate:: 1 per year (Intended)
Launch Site:: Shar Launch Center (Sriharikota, India)
Capability:: 330 lb to 215 nm circular orbit, 46 degree inclination

History

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) established in 1969 to develop launch systems.
Rohini sounding rockets provided basis for development of satellite launch vehicle (SLV)
ASLV developed as follow-on to SLV

Description

Four-stage, solid propellant booster
Stage 1 burns HTPB solid propellant providing 113,000 lb of thrust
Stage 2 burns HTPB solid propellant providing 49,000 lb of thrust
Stage 3 burns HEF-20 solid propellant providing 14,400 lb of thrust
Stage 4 burns HEF-20 solid propellant providing 4,700 lb of thrust
Two solid strap-ons burn HTPB solid propellant providing 98,900 lb of thrust each

Profile

Length:: 77.4 ft
Launch Weight:: 85,800 lb
Diameter:: 3.3 ft
Liftoff Thrust:: 310,800 lb
Payload Fairing:: 16.4 ft x 3.3 ft (14 ft diameter fairing available)