ISRO’s new SSLV programme

In news –Recently, ISRO chairman has mentioned the launch of indigenous new launch rockets, called the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D1 Micro SAT in April 2022.

About SSLV programme-

The SSLV is intended to cater to a market for the launch of small satellites into low earth orbits.
Need for the SSLV emerged as the launch of small satellites has until now been dependent on ‘piggy-back’ rides with big satellite launches on ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.(PSLV)
SSLV can carry satellites weighing up to 500 kg to a low earth orbit while the tried and tested PSLV can launch satellites weighing in the range of 1000 kg.
It is perfectly suited for launching multiple microsatellites at a time and supports multiple orbital drop-offs.
SSLV is a three-stage all solid vehicle, which will have the option of multiple satellite mounting options for nano, micro and small satellites.
The SSLV is the smallest vehicle at 110-ton mass at ISRO.
It will take only 72 hours to integrate, unlike the 70 days taken now for a launch vehicle. Only six people will be required to do the job, instead of 60 people.
The entire job will be done in a very short time and the cost will be only around Rs 30 crore.
It will be an on-demand vehicle.
The SSLV received a commercial booking in 2019 itself from the US space launch services intermediary Spaceflight Inc.
The launch of the maiden flight of the SSLV was scheduled for July 2019 but has been delayed due to setbacks from the Covid 19 crisis and other issues.
The government has sanctioned Rs 169 crores for the development of the project, which covers the development & qualification of the vehicle systems and the flight demonstration through three development flights (SSLV-D1, SSLV-D2 & SSLV-D3).