Orbital launch vehicle

PSLV

ActiveIndia Indian Space Research OrganizationSpec: CA

The PSLV-CA, CA meaning "Core Alone", model premiered on 23 April 2007. The CA model does not include the six strap-on boosters used by the PSLV standard variant. The fourth stage of the CA variant has 400 kg less propellant when compared to its standard version. It currently has capability to launch 1,100 kg to a 622 km Sun synchronous orbit.

Flights flown303 scheduled

Success rate93.3%28/30

Payload to LEO3,800kg

Cost per kg to LEO$4,211$16M per launch

Maiden flight2007-04-23

Peak year20072 flights

PSLV is built by Indian Space Research Organization of India. Company background, funding, contracts and news for this operator are tracked on Space Index. It first flew on 20 September 1993.

Flight record

33 records

93.3% success rate28 of 30 flown · 2 failed

1993peak 2007 · 2 flights2024

First flight1993-09-20

Latest flight2024-12-30

Failures2

Consecutive successes18

Fastest turnaround73d 11h

Payload

Per mission profile

Low Earth orbit	3,800kg
Sun-synchronous orbit	1,092kg
Geostationary transfer orbit	1,200kg
Launch cost	$16M
Cost per kg to LEO	$4,211

Vehicle

CA spec

Stages	4
Length	44m
Diameter	2.8m
Launch mass	230t
Liftoff thrust	4,847kN
Maiden flight	2007-04-23
Reusable	No

Variant lineage

2 configurations

Each configuration of PSLV is tracked separately upstream. The specifications above describe PSLV-CA only: the canonical configuration, chosen as the active one, or the most-flown where none is active. They are not a blend across the family. The flight record below covers every PSLV flight.

Configuration	LL2 launches	LEO kg	Maiden	Status
PSLV-CA	18	3,800	2007-04-23	Active
PSLV	12	3,800	1993-09-20	Active

Pads used

2 pads

Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad27 Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad5

Orbits delivered

4 orbits

Low Earth Orbit20Sun-Synchronous Orbit7Geostationary Orbit1Polar Orbit1

Compare

Same payload class

vs Soyuz U vs Tsiklon-3 vs Tsiklon-2 vs Long March 2D vs Vostok 8A92M vs Soyuz-U-PVB

Launch history

33 launches

Date	Mission	Pad	Orbit	Outcome
2024-12-30	PSLV-CA \| SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment)	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2023-07-30	PSLV-CA \| DS-SAR	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2023-04-22	PSLV-CA \| TeLEOS-2	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2022-06-30	PSLV-CA \| DS-EO & others	Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2019-05-22	PSLV-CA \| RISAT-2B	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2018-11-29	PSLV-CA \| HysIS	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Sun-Synchronous Orbit	Success
2018-09-16	PSLV-CA \| SSTL-S1 & NovaSAR-S	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Sun-Synchronous Orbit	Success
2016-09-26	PSLV \| SCATSat-1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2015-12-16	PSLV-CA \| TeLEOS-1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2014-06-30	PSLV-CA \| SPOT-7, CanX-4, CanX-5, AISat, VELOX-I	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad		Success
2013-02-25	PSLV-CA \| SARAL	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Sun-Synchronous Orbit	Success
2012-09-09	PSLV-CA \| SPOT 6 & PROITERES	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad		Success
2011-10-12	PSLV-CA \| Megha-Tropiques	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad		Success
2011-04-20	PSLV \| Resourcesat-2	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad		Success
2010-07-12	PSLV-CA \| Cartosat-2B, AlSat-2A, StudSat, AISSat-1, TIsat-1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Sun-Synchronous Orbit	Success
2009-09-23	PSLV \| Oceansat-2	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Sun-Synchronous Orbit	Success
2009-04-20	PSLV \| RISAT-2	Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2008-04-28	PSLV \| Cartosat 2A	Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2008-01-21	PSLV \| TECSAR 1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2007-04-23	PSLV \| AGILE	Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2007-01-10	PSLV \| Cartosat 2 & SRE 1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2005-05-05	PSLV \| Cartosat-1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad	Sun-Synchronous Orbit	Success
2003-10-17	PSLV \| Resourcesat	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
2002-09-12	PSLV \| KALPANA-1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Geostationary Orbit	Success
2001-10-22	PSLV \| TES	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Sun-Synchronous Orbit	Success
1999-05-26	PSLV \| IRS-P4 & Uribyol-3	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Polar Orbit	Success
1997-09-29	PSLV \| IRS-1D	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Failure
1996-03-21	PSLV \| IRS-P3	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1994-10-15	PSLV \| IRS-P2	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Success
1993-09-20	PSLV \| IRS-P1	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Failure
TBD	PSLV-CA \| ISSA-J1	Unknown Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Scheduled
TBD	PSLV \| RISAT-2A	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Scheduled
TBD	PSLV \| ConnectedCosmos	Satish Dhawan Space Centre First Launch Pad	Low Earth Orbit	Scheduled

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