SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
India achieved indigenous space launch capability with the successful launch of the 35 kg ROHINI satellite into a 300 km x 800 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by the experimental Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) on July 18, 1980.
ISRO currently has two operational launch vehicles: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). A Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is under development and first launch is expected by early 2022.
| Launch Vehicle | Total Launches | Failures | SSPO Payload (kg) | LEO Payload (kg) | GTO Payload (kg) |
| PSLV | 55 | 2 | 1,750 (XL) | 3,800 (XL) | 1,300 (GTO) 1,425 (sub-GTO) |
| GSLV | 14 | 4 | 5,000 | 2,500 | |
| GSLV Mk-III | 4 | 0 | 8,000 | 4,000 | |
| SSLV | 1 | 1 | 300 | 500 |
GSLV Mk III
Height: 43.43 m
Payload Fairing Diameter: 5 m
No. of Stages: 3
Liftoff Mass: 640,000 kg
Payload Mass to GTO: 4,000 kg
Payload Mass to LEO: 8,000 kg
GSLV MK-II
Height: 49.13 m
No. of Stages: 3
Liftoff Mass: 414,750 kg
Payload Fairing Diameter: 2.8 m
Payload Mass to GTO: 2,500 kg
Payload Mass to LEO: 5,000 kg
PSLV:
Height: 44 m
Diameter: 2.8 m
No. of Stages: 4
Liftoff Mass: 320,000 kg (XL version)
Payload Mass to SSPO: 1,750 kg
Payload Mass to GTO: 1,300 kg