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Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk.III

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle III
Fact sheet
Function	Medium-heavy launch vehicle
Manufacturer	ISRO
Country of origin	India
Size
Height	42.4 m
Diameter	TBC
Mass	TBC
Stages	2
	Capacity
Payload to LEO	10,000 kg
Payload to GTO	4,400 kg
Launch History
Status	In development
Launch Sites	Satish Dhawan Space Centre
Maiden flight	Scheduled for 2007/2008
Boosters (Stage 0) - S-200
No boosters	2
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	7700 kN (785 Tf)
Burn time	TBC
Fuel	Solid
First Stage - L-110
Engines	2 Vikas
Thrust	735 kN (785 Tf)
Burn time	TBC
Fuel	Liquid (TBC)
Second Stage - C-25
Engines	TBC
Thrust	196 kN (20 Tf)
Burn time	TBC
Fuel	LOX/LH2

The GSLV-III or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle mark III is a launch vehicle currently under development by the Indian Space Research Organization. It is intended to launch heavy satellites into geostationary orbit, and will allow India to become less dependent on foreign rockets for heavy lifting. The rocket is the technological successor to the GSLV, however is not derived from its predecessor. The maiden flight is scheduled for late 2007 or early 2008.

Contents 1 Stages 1.1 Boosters 1.2 Core stage 1.3 Upper stage 1.4 Summary 2 Comparable Rockets 3 Trivia 4 See also 5 External links 6 References

The boosters used on the GSLV-III will be the S200, which is also designated Large Solid Booster, or LSB, which is a solid propellant stage with a mass of 200 tonnes. Two boosters will be used. Each has a diameter of 3.4 metres and a length of 25 metres. They are estimated to produce 785 tonnes-force (7.70 MN) of thrust.

The core stage will be the L110 restartable liquid stage which has 110 tonnes of liquid propellant and a diameter of 4-metres. It will be the first Indian liquid engine cluster design, and will use two improved Vikas engines, each producing 75 tonnes (735 kN) of thrust. The improved Vikas engine will use regenerative cooling, providing improved weight and specific impulse, compared to earlier rockets.

The upper stage will be the C25, which is a restartable cryogenic stage fuelled by 25 tonnes of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. It has a 4-metre diameter and is 8.2 metres long. The stage will produce 20 tonnes (197 kN) of thrust.

• Overall length: 42.4 m
• Lift-off mass: 630 t
• Number of stages: 3
• Payload: 10 t to LEO or 4.4 t to GTO (approx)
• Launch Orbit: Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) 180 x 36,000 km

• Ariane 4
• Delta III
• Delta IV (medium)
• Angara (A5)
• Falcon 9
• Zenit

• There is no GSLV-II. The GSLV-I has a Russian-made cryogenic third stage, which was to be replaced with an identical Indian-built one for the GSLV-II. US objections based on the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) prevented the Russia-India technology transfer that would have enabled this, leading to cancellation of the GSLV-II. The GSLV-III will use an Indian-developed cryogenic engine.
• A possible variant GSLV-IV would likely have two extra strap on boosters, and a payload capacity of 6 tonnes to GTO.

• Indian human spaceflight program

• Bharat-Rakshak GSLV-III information
• New Scientist article including GSLV-III diagram