ISRO’s Next-Gen Launch Vehicle

#GS-03 Science and Technology

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing a Next-Gen Launch Vehicle (NGLV), which is expected to replace the current operational systems like the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
NGLV is aimed to be a cost-efficient, three-stage, reusable heavy-lift vehicle with a payload capability of 10 tonnes to Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
NGLV will feature semi-cryogenic propulsion for the booster stages which will be cheaper and efficient.
The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) payload capability will be twice that of the Geostationary Transfer Orbit i.e., 20 tonnes.
However, payload capability will be lower when the rocket is reusable.

Current Launch vehicles of ISRO:

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the third generation launch vehicle of India.
It is the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped with liquid stages.
It is a four stage launch vehicle.
A large solid rocket motor forming the first stage,
An earth storable liquid stage as the second stage,
A high-performance solid rocket motor as third stage, and
A liquid stage with engines as fourth stage.
The vehicle successfully launched two spacecraft – Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013.
Since 1994 till 2017, PSLV has launched 48 Indian satellites and 209 satellites for customers from abroad.

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) project began in 1990 with the aim of acquiring an Indian launch capability for geosynchronous satellites.
GSLV is a fourth generation launch vehicle and is a three stage vehicle with four liquid strap-ons and the indigenously developed cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) powers its third stage.

GSLV Mk III is a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO.
The vehicle has two solid strap-ons, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
GSLV Mk III is designed to carry 4 ton class of satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about 10 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which is about twice the capability of the GSLV Mk II.
The first developmental flight of GSLV Mk III, the GSLV-Mk III-D1 successfully placed GSAT-19 satellite to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on June 05, 2017 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.
GSLV MkIII-D2, the second developmental flight of GSLV MkIII successfully launched GSAT-29, a high throughput communication satellite on November 14, 2018 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
GSLV MkIII-M1, successfully injected Chandrayaan-2, India’s second Lunar Mission, in to Earth Parking Orbit on July 22, 2019 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.