Head to head

PSLV vs Vega-C

Two vehicles in the same payload class. Every figure below comes from the same two sources for both rockets, and a row appears only when both publish the input.

Payload to low Earth orbit

Relative

PSLV: 3,800 kg

Vega-C: 3,300 kg

Side by side

11 comparable figures

The highlighted value wins the row. Rows where neither direction is better, like length or stage count, highlight nothing.

Metric	PSLV	Vega-C
Flights flown	30	8
Success rate	93.3%	87.5%
Payload to LEO (kg)	3,800	3,300
Payload to SSO (kg)	1,092	2,230
Launch cost	$16M	$48M
Cost per kg to LEO	$4,211	$14,545
Liftoff thrust (kN)	4,847	2,974
Length (m)	44	34.8
Diameter (m)	2.8	3
Launch mass (t)	230	210
Stages	4	4

PSLV

Flight record

93.3% success rate28 of 30 flown · 2 failed

1993peak 2007 · 2 flights2024

Maiden flight 2007-04-23. Still flying.

Vega-C

Flight record

87.5% success rate7 of 8 flown · 1 failed

2022peak 2026 · 4 flights2026

Maiden flight 2022-07-13. Still flying.

PSLV is built by Indian Space Research Organization of India (company profile on Space Index).Vega-C is built by Avio S.p.A of Italy (company profile on Space Index).

Full specifications and the complete launch history for each: PSLV · Vega-C.

Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.