India’s first privately built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), developed by a consortium of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), is set to carry the Technology Demonstration Satellite-1 (TDS-1). This satellite will test up to 35 new indigenous technologies.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that the launch, scheduled for the third quarter of this year, marks a major milestone as the first PSLV manufactured entirely by the private sector under a contract for five rockets. ISRO is providing technical guidance, and the vehicle is in its advanced stages of development.
New Technologies on TDS-1
TDS-1 will feature multiple experimental technologies, including electric propulsion alongside chemical propulsion. It will also test an indigenous atomic clock and quantum communication payloads. The final number of experiments, targeted at 35, is yet to be confirmed.
One key highlight is the 300 milli-Newton (mN) electric propulsion thruster, developed by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). While ISRO previously tested a 75mN thruster on GSAT-9, this will be the first time a fully indigenous system is deployed.
Progress on Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV)
Narayanan also provided updates on ISRO’s Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) program. The NGLV will have a lift-off mass of around 1,000 tonnes and stand 93 meters tall—equivalent to a 30-35-story building.
The rocket will feature three propulsion stages and two strap-on boosters. The core stage will be powered by nine LOX-methane engines, each generating 110 tonnes of thrust with a propellant load of 475 tonnes. The second stage will use two similar engines with 128 tonnes of propellant, while the upper stage will have a LOX-hydrogen cryogenic engine (C-32) with a 32-tonne propellant capacity.
ISRO has completed configuration studies and is now developing subsystems, including finalizing the design for 11 LOX-methane engines. The organization is also in discussions with industry partners for manufacturing and working on test facilities for the new rocket.
