India’s Union Cabinet has approved $1.6bn funding to continue the development and launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket programmes.

Of the total fund, $914m has been earmarked for the PSLV Continuation Programme (phase 6) and will cover the cost of 30 PSLV flights.

It will also include the costs of essential facility augmentation, programme management and the launch campaign.

The programme will meet the launch requirement of satellites for Earth observation, Navigation and Space Sciences. This will also ensure the continuity of production in Indian industry.

It will serve the satellite launch missions from Q3 of 2019-20 to Q1 of 2023-24.



The Government of India stated: “The PSLV Continuation Programme Phase 6 will meet the demand for the launch of satellites at a frequency up to eight launches per year, with maximal participation by the Indian industry.

“The PSLV Continuation Programme Phase 6 will meet the demand for the launch of satellites at a frequency up to eight launches per year, with maximal participation by the Indian industry.”

“All the operational flights would be completed during the period 2019-2024.”

Originally sanctioned in 2008, PSLV Continuation Programme has so far completed four phases and expects to conclude the fifth by the second quarter of 2019-20.

The PSLV rocket is designed to conduct Sun-synchronous polar orbit (SSPO), geo-synchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and low inclination Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions.

The government has committed $647m of the $1.6bn fund for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV Mk-III) continuation programme (Phase-I).

This programme will cover ten GSLV (Mk-III) flights, as well as essential facility augmentation, programme management and a launch campaign.

It will help the launch of a 4t class of communication satellites to meet India’s satellite communication requirements during the period 2019-2024.