ISRO manufactures launch vehicles to execute its various space exploration goals. ISRO operates multiple launch vehicles such as the PSLV, the GSLV, the LVM3, and the SSLV.

Launch vehicles Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle

Status: Active The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV is the first medium-lift launch vehicle from India which enabled India to launch all its remote-sensing satellites into Sun-synchronous orbit. PSLV had a failure in its maiden launch in 1993. Besides two other partial failures, PSLV has become the primary workhorse for ISRO with more than 50 launches placing hundreds of Indian and foreign satellites into orbit.

+ Decade-wise summary of PSLV launches Decade Successful Partial success Failure Total1990s 3 1 1 5 2000s 11 0 0 11 2010s 33 0 1 34 2020s 10 0 2 12 Total 57 1 4 62

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

Status: Active The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is a medium-lift launch vehicle which was envisaged in 1990s to transfer significant payloads to geostationary orbit. ISRO initially had a great problem realising GSLV as the development of CE-7.5 in India took a decade. The US had blocked India from obtaining cryogenic technology from Russia, leading India to develop its own cryogenic engines.

+ Decade-wise summary of GSLV Launches Decade Successful Partial success Failure Total 2000s 2 2 1 5 2010s 6 0 2 8 2020s 5 0 1 6 Total 13 2 4 19

Launch Vehicle Mark-3

Status: Active The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), previously known as the GSLV Mk III, is a medium-lift launch vehicle and the heaviest rocket in operational service with ISRO. Equipped with a more powerful cryogenic engine and boosters than GSLV, it has significantly higher payload capacity and allows India to launch all its communication satellites. LVM3 is expected to carry India's first crewed mission to space and will be the testbed for SE-2000 engine which will power India's heavy-lift rockets in the future.

+ Decade-wise summary of LVM3 launches Decade Successful Partial success Failure Total 2010s 4 0 0 4 2020s 5 0 0 5 Total 9 0 0 9

Small Satellite Launch Vehicle

Status: Active The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a small-lift launch vehicle developed by the ISRO with payload capacity to deliver to low Earth orbit () or to Sun-synchronous orbit () for launching small satellites, with the capability to support multiple orbital drop-offs.Gunter's space page: SSLV

+ Decade-wise summary of SSLV launches Decade Successful Partial success Failure Total 2020s 2 0 1 3

In development Next Generation Launch Vehicle

ISRO's current launch vehicles lack the capacity for launching very heavy satellites to the geostationary orbit beyond 4 ton class, a problem that is planned to be fixed with the introduction of the NGLV. ISRO is studying heavy (HLV) and super heavy-lift launch vehicle (SHLV). Modular launchers are being designed, with interchangeable parts, to reduce production time. A capacity HLV and an SHLV capable of delivering into orbit have been mentioned in statements and presentations from ISRO officials.

Retired Satellite Launch Vehicle

Status: Retired The Satellite Launch Vehicle (known as SLV-3) was the first space rocket to be developed by India. The initial launch in 1979 was a failure followed by a successful launch in 1980 making India the sixth country in world with orbital launch capability. The development of bigger rockets began afterwards.

Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle

Status: Retired The Augmented or Advanced Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) was another small launch vehicle released in 1980s to develop technologies required to place satellites into geostationary orbit. ISRO did not have adequate funds to develop ASLV and PSLV at once. Since ASLV suffered repeated failures, it was dropped in favour of a new project.

Sounding rockets Rohini sounding rockets

Status: Active Rohini is a series of sounding rockets developed by ISRO for meteorological and atmospheric study. These sounding rockets are capable of carrying payloads of between altitudes of . The ISRO currently uses RH-200, RH-300, Mk-II, RH-560 Mk-II and RH-560 Mk-III rockets, which are launched from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in Thumba and the SDSC in Sriharikota.

Advanced Technology Vehicle

Status: Active The Advanced Technology Vehicle is a modified Indian sounding rocket developed by ISRO. It is based on the Rohini-560 sounding rocket. The ATV programme was created to test the development of a native dual-mode air-breathing scramjet engine. , ISRO has flown two test missions.

See also List of PSLV launches List of GSLV launches List of LVM3 launches List of SSLV launches

References