Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle

The PSLV or Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV,commercially viable only from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

A sun-synchronous orbit (also rarely called a heliosynchronous orbit) is a geocentric orbit which combines altitude and inclination in such a way that an object on that orbit passes over any given point of the Earth's surface at the same local solar time. The surface illumination angle will be nearly the same every time. This consistent lighting is a useful characteristic for satellites that image the earth's surface in visible or infrared wavelengths (e.g. weather, spy and remote sensing satellites). There is, of course, a yearly oscillation of the actual solar time of passage because of the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit.

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Sriharikota (SHAR)

The Sriharikota Launching Range is developed into the most important center, with test, assembly and launch facilities for large multi-stage rockets and satellite launchers, and tracking, telemetry and tele-command stations for Indian spacecraft।It is situated in the Sriharikota Island, on India's east coast, about 62 miles (100kMadm) north of Madras at 13°47' North and 80°15' East.Sriharikota, is an island in the Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh State, lies along the east of Pulicat Lake and is reached by road from Madras.

SHAR covers a total area of about 56 sq miles (145 sqkm) with a coastal length of 167 miles (27km). The range became operational when three Rohini 125 sounding rockets were launched on 9 and 10 October 1971. Since then, the ISRO facilities at SHAR have expanded. The solid propellant space booster plant processes large size propellant grains for the satellite launch vehicles. The Static Test & Evaluation Complex (STEX) tests and qualifies different types of solid motor for launch vehicles.

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