From Disastrous Start To Becoming ISRO’s “Workhorse”, PSLV All Set For Its 50th Launch On 11 December

On 11 December the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will create history with the launch of its 50th payload, reports The Hindu Business Line.

PSLV is called the workhorse of Indian space programme and for the last 26 years it has proven its reliability which has allowed Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) gain international recognition.

India is now considered a leader when it comes to launching satellites in space and has launched satellites for several countries over the years. ISRO has many international clients who want their smaller satellites put into orbit using the PSLV.

The PSLV is far more affordable than launch vehicles of other countries and even though its journey started with a disaster back in 1993, with PSLV-D1 failing to place the IRS-1E satellite into orbit, the launching system has gone from strength to strength and had 39 consecutive perfect launches until June 2017.

In the last 26 years, PSLV launched 50 Indian satellites and 222 foreign satellites for over 70 international customers from 20 countries.

PSLV was also used to launch Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, and the Mars Orbiter in 2013.