• Forum
• SITREP
• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security

• Space

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Public Eye

GSLV Mark III

The GSLV-III or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III , was a launch vehicle under development by the Indian Space Research Organization. GSLV Mk III was conceived and designed to make ISRO fully self reliant in launching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weigh 4500 to 5000 kg. It would also enhance the capability of the country to be a competitive player in the multimillion dollar commercial launch market. The vehicle envisages multi-mission launch capability for GTO, LEO, Polar and intermediate circular orbits.

GSLV-Mk III was designed to be a three stage vehicle, with 42.4 m tall with a lift off weight of 630 tonnes. The GSLV-M III, which was under advanced stage of development, uses two solid strap-on boosters (S200), L110 liquid stage and a cryogenic upper stage C-25. First stage comprises two identical S200 Large Solid Booster (LSB) with 200 tonne solid propellant, that are strapped on to the second stage, the L110 re-startable liquid stage. The third stage was the C25 LOX/LH2 cryo stage. The large payload fairing measures 5 m in diameter and can accommodate a payload volume of 100 cu m. Realisation of GSLV Mk-III will help ISRO to put heavier satellites into orbit.

Indian Space Research Organisation successfully conducted the static test of its largest solid booster S200 at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota January 24, 2010. The successful test of S200 makes it the third largest solid booster in the world, next to the RSRM solid booster of Space Shuttle and P230 solid booster of ARIANE-5. The S200 solid booster will form the strap-on stage for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-Mk III) which was currently under advanced stage of development for launching 4 ton class of communication satellites.

S200 solid booster contains 200 tonnes of solid propellant in three segments. The motor measures 22 meter long and 3.2 meter in diameter. The design, development and successful realisation of S200 solid booster were a pure indigenous effort involving Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and Satish Shawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota with the participation of Indian Industries. The S200 solid booster derived its heritage from the solid boosters developed earlier for the ISRO launch vehicle programme. The preparation and casting of S200 solid booster segments were carried out at the newly established Solid Propellant Plant (SPP) at SDSC, Sriharikota. During the test, the S200 booster was fired for 130 seconds and generated a peak thrust of about 500 tonnes. The performance of the booster was exactly as predicted. Nearly 600 health parameters were monitored during the test and the initial data indicates normal performance.

Six months after a failed test, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully conducted the second static testing of its liquid core stage (L110) of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk -III). In September 2010 the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully tested the propellant system of the body's soon-to-be launch mega vehicle, in the Tamil Nadu's Mahendragiri district. In a landmark experiment, a team of eminent scientists and experts from ISRO carried out the static testing of the liquid core stage of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV-M III).

Lasting for 200 seconds, the test was deemed a 'success' by the ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan. L110 was one of the heaviest earth storable liquid stages ever developed by ISRO. L110 stage had two high pressure Vikas engines in a clustered configuration. Nearly 500 health parameters were monitored during the test and the initial data acquired indicates its normal performance. Today`s successful test of L110 for its full flight duration of 200 seconds, was a major mile stone in the earth storable liquid rocket programme of ISRO and a significant step forward in the development of GSLV-Mk III launch vehicle.

The second static test of S200 motor (ST-02) was successfully conducted on September 4th, 2011. Towards improving the margin and considering the post test thermal effects of ST-01, certain modifications were incorporated in the S200 ST-02 Motor. The objectives of S200-ST-02 were : to confirm the ballistic performance of the motor and to evaluate the differential thrust with respect to ST-01 motor; to ensure the repeat performance of hardware under motor operating environment; to confirm the performance of the flex nozzle with improved carbon cloth reinforced thermal boot and modified FSTP subassembly under specified duty cycle. The performance of the motor was normal and all the measured parameters were very close to the normal prediction.

GSLV Mk-III X-Mission was planned to demonstrate the performance of S200 strapon boosters, L110 stage performance, structural stability of the fully integrated GSLV Mk-III vehicle, etc,. During the year 2011 Six S200 segments (HES-2 Nos., MS- 2 Nos. & NES 2 Nos) are produced for S200 Strapon boosters of GSLV Mk-III X – Mission flight at Solid Propellant Plant (SPP).

The GSLV Mk-III full vehicle integration & L110 stage fluid mock-up activities were in progress to study the integration interfaces of the GSLV Mk-III vehicle at SSAB, VAB and launch pad, evaluation/verification of the propellant/gas filling systems & software, etc,. L-110 stage received & preparation activities were carried out at L110 building VAST. L110 stage was integrated with IS 1/2M & IS 1/2 U and stage was transported to the SSAB. In SSAB GSLV Mk-III vehicle integration was completed upto cryo stage and moved to the VAB. After completion of mock-up activities at VAB, vehicle was moved to the launchpad for fluid mock-up & launch pad systems for qualification/verification.

India’s huge Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV- Mark III) was to first be launched with a crew capsule from Sriharikota in June 2014, signalling that the country was getting ready to send its own astronauts into space. The significance of the mission was that it would be a forerunner to India sending its astronauts to space. For, the GSLV-Mk III in this flight will carry a crew capsule without astronauts. The capsule will return to earth with the help of parachutes. The mission will take place in June or first week of July.

ISRO planned to carry out the first experimental flight with a passive cryogenic stage. The flight, which was expected to validate some new systems and flight sequences, will be followed by a developmental flight with an operational cryogenic stage in 2016-17. Another developmental flight was scheduled for 2017-18 before operational flights are taken up.

The experimental flight of GSLV Mk-III (LVM3-X) was undertaken on December 18, 2014 with S200 and L110 stages to demonstrate the atmospheric regime of the flight and unique features in GSLV Mk-III, compared to other launch vehicles, including the differential thrust between the two S200 solid strap-ons. India successfully launched its largest rocket and an unmanned capsule which could send astronauts into space. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MK III blasted off from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh early December 18, 2014.

Also known as LVM3-X/CARE, this suborbital experimental mission was intended to test the vehicle performance during the critical atmospheric phase of its flight and thus carried a passive (non-functional) cryogenic upper stage.

The mission began with the launch of GSLV Mk-III at 9:30 am IST from the Second Launch Pad as scheduled and about five and a half minutes later, carried its payload - the 3775 kg Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE) - to the intended height of 126 km. Following this, CARE separated from the upper stage of GSLV Mk-III and re-entered the atmosphere and safely landed over Bay of Bengal with the help of its parachutes about 20 minutes 43 seconds after lift-off.

Two massive S-200 solid strap-on boosters, each carrying 207 tons of solid propellants, ignited at vehicle lift-off and after functioning normally, separated 153.5 seconds later. L110 liquid stage ignited 120 seconds after lift-off, while S200s were still functioning, and carried forward for the next 204.6 seconds.

After the successful re-entry phase, CARE module's parachutes opened, following which it gently landed over Andaman Sea about 1600 km from Sriharikota, there by successfully concluding the GSLV Mk-III X/CARE mission.

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-Mk III was capable launching 4 ton class of satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer orbit (GTO). It was a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and a cryogenic stage (C25). GSLV-Mk III-D1 was the first developmental flight, carrying 3136 kg GSAT-19 satellite to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The vehicle was configured with a 5 m ogive payload fairing and slanted strap-on nose cone to provide aerodynamic robustness.

It was to be noted that even though GSLV Mk-III D1was the second flight as far as the S200 and L110 are concerned, for the newly developed C25 stage this was the maiden flight. The performance of the C25 stage in this maiden flight was as per prediction, which establishes the capability of ISRO to predict the flight performance in advance. After the GSLV-MK III successfully launched its second flight, ISRO declared the rocket operational. With the successful completion of the first development flight, ISRO geared up for the second development flight, set for launch in february of 2018. GSLV Mk-III D2 with augmented payload capability so that the first operational flight of GSLV MK-III will carry around 4000 kg payload to GTO. The strategies/technologies for achieving the above capabilities are identified and ISRO was working towards perfecting these technologies before implementation in the flight. India’s GSAT-29 communication satellite was successfully launched by the second developmental flight of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MarkIII (GSLV MkIII-D2) today from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. GSLV MkIII-D2 lifted off from the Second Launch Pad of SDSC SHAR at 17:08 hours (IST), carrying the 3423-kg GSAT-29 satellite. About 17 minutes later, the vehicle injected the satellite into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) as planned. After injection, ISRO’s Master Control Facility at Hassan has assumed the control of the satellite. In the coming days, three orbit raising manoeuvers will be executed to position the satellite in the Geostationary Orbit at its designated location. On 14 November 2018 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO scientists on the successful launch of GSLV MK III-D2 carrying GSAT-29 satellite. “My heartiest congratulations to our scientists on the successful launch of GSLV MK III-D2 carrying GSAT-29 satellite. The double success sets a new record of putting the heaviest satellite in orbit by an Indian launch vehicle. The satellite will provide communication and internet services to the remotest corners of our country”, the Prime Minister said. Chandrayaan-2 and Gaganyaan missions was be launched by this heavy-lifter. On 22 July 2019 GSLV MK-III has successfully injected Chandrayaan 2 into the defined orbit, with the Moon landing scheduled for 7 September. India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV MkIII-M1, successfully launched Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into its planned orbit with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 169.7 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 45,475 km. The launch took place from the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.

This flight marked the first operational flight of the GSLV Mk III. After a smooth countdown lasting 20 hours, GSLV MkIII-M1 vehicle majestically lifted off from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at the scheduled launch time of 1443 Hrs (2:43 pm) Indian Standard Time (IST) with the ignition of its two S200 solid strap-on motors. All the subsequent flight events occurred as scheduled.

India was scheduled to launch a GSLV Mk III rocket as part of the GSAT-20 mission. The launch window for the Communications mission was on Tue, Jun 30th, 2020, 8:00 PM EDT from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad. Then came the Covid-19 lockdown within and outside India that had its cascading impact on ISRO's core plans. In 2021 it reverted to a GSLV Mk.3 (2) launch.

GSLV-F10 launch took place on August 12, 2021 at 0543 Hrs IST as scheduled. Performance of first and second stages was normal. However, Cryogenic Upper Stage ignition did not happen due to technical anomaly. The mission couldn't be accomplished as intended.

GSLV-Mk4

GSLV MK IV with a capacity of 6500 kg GTO / 15000 kg LEO may go in development after successful launch of GSLV MK II. Some speculative people have suggested that if a GSLV-Mk4 configuration could lift 20-25 tonnes to LEO, then India could even be in a position for a circum-lunar flight, sending astronauts around the Moon and back. Instead of 2 boosters 4 would apply, instead of the dual thrust first stage a quad engine first stage can be applied, and bigger 160 to 200 tonne core stage with more Vikas engines in the cluster.