This is the first vehicle manufactured by industry as a whole product

The first Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) fully built by the industry will be rolled out in 2022, K. Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said on Friday.

Mr. Sivan was speaking after accepting the Sree Chithira Thirunal National Award - 2019 from Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. “Very soon, the PSLV will be manufactured by the industry as a whole product,” he said. The ISRO has announced plans to outsource the PSLV to the industry so that it can focus on other research areas and important missions.

Developmental flight

The first developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is expected in April this year, he said. This mission will be carried out from Sriharikota. The process of acquiring 2,300 acres at Kulasekharapattanam in southern Tamil Nadu for establishing a launch facility for the SSLV is in progress, he added.

“The SSLV is conceived as a potential low-cost access to space. It will cater to the large number of small satellite launch requirements. Launching from Sriharikota would, however, hamper regular launches,” he explained the reason for establishing the new launch pad.

Astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission were picked after rigorous medical and psychological screening, Mr. Sivan said. “A series of tests are planned in 2020 to validate the design and engineering aspects of the launch vehicle systems.”

He also reiterated ISRO’s decision to perform the first unmanned test flight by this year-end.