Indian space programme's workhorse launch vehicle PSLV proved its flight worthiness yet again on Monday when it successfully placed Cartosat 2B and four other satellites in orbit in a textbook precision.
In missions it has flown since 1993, Indian Space Research Organisation's (Isro) premier Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle has delivered success, but for once.
The failure happened on its first developmental flight in September 1993.
The successful missions resulted in Isro getting launch orders for small satellites from other countries.
In the international launch arena, PSLV's addressable market segment is mainly light weight satellites for placement in polar orbit.
CHRONOLOGY OF PSLV VEHICLES:
PSLV-D1 IRS-1E on September 20, 1993 (Unsuccessful)
PSLV-D2 launched IRS-P2 on October 15, 1994 (Successful)
PSLV-D3 launched IRS-P3 on March 21, 1996 (Successful)
PSLV-C1 launched IRS-1D on September 29, 1997 (Successful)
PSLV-C2 launched OCEANSAT(IRS-P4), KITSAT-3 and DLR-TUBSAT
on May 26, 1999 (Successful)
PSLV-C3 launched TES on October 22, 2001 (Successful)
PSLV-C4 launched KALPANA-1(METSAT) on
September 12, 2002 (Successful)
PSLV-C5 launched Resourcesat-1 (IRS-p6) on
Oct 17, 2003 (Successful)
PSLV-C6 launched CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT
on May 5, 2005 (Successful)
PSLV-C7 launched CARTOSAT-2, SRE-1, LAPAN-TUBSAT
and PEHUENSAT-1 on January 10, 2007 (Successful)
PSLV-C8 launched AGILE on April 23, 2007 (Successful)
PSLV-C10 launched TECSAR on January 23, 2008 (Successful)
PSLV-C9 launched CARTOSAT-2A, IMS-1 and Eight
nano-satellites on April 28, 2008 (Successful)
PSLV-C11 launched CHANDRAYAAN-I,
on October 22, 2008 (Successful)
PSLV-C12 launched RISAT-2 and ANUSAT on April 20, 2009
(Successful)
PSLV-C14 launched Oceansat - 2 and Six Nanosatellites on
September 23, 2009 (Successful)
PSLV-C15 launched Cartosat-2B and four satellites on July
12, 2010 (Successful)