LVM3

Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III)
LVM3 M3 on SDSC SLP, carrying 36 OneWeb satellites
FunctionMedium-lift launch vehicle[1]
ManufacturerISRO
Country of originIndia
Cost per launch500 crore (US$60 million)[2][3]
Size
Height43.43 m (142.5 ft)[4][1]
Diameter4 m (13 ft)[4]
Mass640,000 kg (1,410,000 lb)[1]
Stages3[1]
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass10,000 kg (22,000 lb)[5]
Payload to GTO
Mass4,300 kg (9,500 lb)[1][6]
Payload to TLI
Mass3,000 kg (6,600 lb)[7]
Associated rockets
FamilyGeosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
Comparable
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesSatish Dhawan SLP
Total launches7
Success(es)7
Failure(s)0
Partial failure(s)0
First flight
  • 18 December 2014 (suborbital)
  • 5 June 2017 (orbital)
Last flight14 July 2023
Type of passengers/cargo
First stage – S200 Boosters
Height25 m (82 ft)[1]
Diameter3.2 m (10 ft)[1]
Empty mass31,000 kg (68,000 lb) each[8]
Gross mass236,000 kg (520,000 lb) each[8]
Propellant mass205,000 kg (452,000 lb) each[8]
Powered bySolid S200
Maximum thrust5,150 kN (525 tf)[9][10][11]
Specific impulse274.5 seconds (2.692 km/s) (vacuum)[8]
Burn time128 s[8]
PropellantHTPB / AP[8]
Second stage – L110
Height21.39 m (70.2 ft)[12]
Diameter4.0 m (13.1 ft)[8]
Empty mass9,000 kg (20,000 lb)[12]
Gross mass125,000 kg (276,000 lb)[12]
Propellant mass116,000 kg (256,000 lb)[12]
Powered by2 Vikas engines
Maximum thrust1,598 kN (163.0 tf)[8][13][14]
Specific impulse293 seconds (2.87 km/s)[8]
Burn time203 s[12]
PropellantUDMH / N2O4
Third stage – C25
Height13.545 m (44.44 ft)[8]
Diameter4.0 m (13.1 ft)[8]
Empty mass5,000 kg (11,000 lb)[12]
Gross mass33,000 kg (73,000 lb)[12]
Propellant mass28,000 kg (62,000 lb)[8]
Powered by1 CE-20
Maximum thrust186.36 kN (19.003 tf)[8]
Specific impulse442 seconds (4.33 km/s)
Burn time643 s[8]
PropellantLOX / LH2

The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or LVM3[1][15][16] (previously referred as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III or GSLV Mk III)[a] is a three-stage[1] medium-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Primarily designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit,[18] it is also due to launch crewed missions under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.[19] LVM3 has a higher payload capacity than its predecessor, GSLV.[20][21][22][23]

After several delays and a sub-orbital test flight on 18 December 2014, ISRO successfully conducted the first orbital test launch of LVM3 on 5 June 2017 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.[24]

Total development cost of project was 2,962.78 crore (equivalent to 45 billion or US$540 million in 2023).[25] In June 2018, the Union Cabinet approved 4,338 crore (equivalent to 58 billion or US$700 million in 2023) to build 10 LVM3 rockets over a five-year period.[26]

The LVM3 has launched CARE, India's space capsule recovery experiment module, Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3, India's second and third lunar missions, and will be used to carry Gaganyaan, the first crewed mission under Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. In March 2022, UK-based global communication satellite provider OneWeb entered into an agreement with ISRO to launch OneWeb satellites aboard the LVM3 along with the PSLV, due to the launch services from Roscosmos being cut off, caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[27][28][29] The first launch took place on 22 October 2022, injecting 36 satellites into Low Earth orbit.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "LVM3". Indian Space Research Organisation. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  2. ^ "OneWeb pays over Rs 1,000 cr to India for launching 72 satellites (Lead)". IANS. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  3. ^ Faust, Jeff. "OneWeb launch sign of greater role for India in commercial launch market". Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b "The first developmental flight of GSLV-Mk-III". Indian Space Research Organisation. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  5. ^ "GSLV MkIII-M1 Successfully Launches Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft - ISRO". www.isro.gov.in. ISRO. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  6. ^ "GSLV MKIII". Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Direct Trans-Lunar injection(TLI) payloads capacity of GSLV Mk-3 is around 3000 kg".
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "LVM3". Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference isros200 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference dnai3sb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "India to test world's third largest solid rocket booster". Science and Technology Section. The Hindu News Paper. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "GSLV Mark III-D1 / GSAT-19 Brochure". IRSO. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Space Launch Report: LVM3 (GSLV Mk 3)". 22 July 2019. Archived from the original on 6 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference l110t was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ "ISRO GSLV Mark-III renamed as LVM-3". HT Tech. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  16. ^ a b "ISRO renames GSLV Mark-III as LVM-3". The Hindu. 23 October 2022.
  17. ^ "As it happened: ISRO successfully launches GSLV Mark-III". The Hindu. 17 December 2014. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  18. ^ "'India masters rocket science': Here's why the new ISRO launch is special". 15 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Two international astronauts survive space scare. How well is India prepared?". 18 October 2018.
  20. ^ "Indian Space Research Organisation preparing for three more PSLV launches". The Hindu. 29 April 2011. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  21. ^ Ramachandran, R. (22 January 2014). "GSLV MkIII, the next milestone". Frontline. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  22. ^ Sengupta, Rudraneil (5 June 2017). "Cryogenic rocket engine has been developed from scratch: Isro chief". LiveMint. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  23. ^ "India launches 'monster' rocket". BBC News. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  24. ^ "India's 'Bahubali' GSLV Mk III lifts less luggage than lighter rockets". The Economic Times. 16 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 June 2017.
  25. ^ "Government of India, Department of Space; Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no.3713; GSLV MK-III" (PDF). 12 August 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2020.
  26. ^ "Government approves Rs 10,000-crore continuation programmes for PSLV, GSLV". The Economic Times. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  27. ^ "OneWeb Suspends Launches from Baikonur as Repercussions from Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Grow". Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  28. ^ "OneWeb partners with Isro to launch satellites using GSLV-MKIII, PSLV". The Economic Times. 11 October 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  29. ^ "NSIL/ISRO and OneWeb to collaborate for taking Digital Connectivity to every Corner of the World". OneWeb. Retrieved 26 December 2021.


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