Unified Launch Vehicle

Unified Launch Vehicle

Function	Medium- to Heavy-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Indian Space Research Organisation
Country of origin	India
Size
Mass	270,000 to 700,000 kg (600,000 to 1,540,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity Template:Infobox rocket/payload
Launch history
First flight	After 2022
Boosters – S-13
No. boosters	6
Length	12 m (39 ft)
Diameter	1 m (3 ft 3 in)
Propellant mass	13,000 kg (29,000 lb)
Motor	S-13
Thrust	716 kN (161,000 lbf)
Burn time	80 seconds
Propellant	HTPB
Boosters – S-60
No. boosters	2
Propellant mass	60,000 kg (130,000 lb)
Motor	S-60
Propellant	HTPB
Boosters – S-139
No. boosters	2
Length	20.1 m (66 ft)
Diameter	2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Propellant mass	138,200 kg (304,700 lb)
Motor	S-139
Thrust	4,700 kN (1,100,000 lbf)
Burn time	100 seconds
Propellant	HTPB
Boosters – S-200
No. boosters	2
Length	25 m (82 ft)
Diameter	3.2 m (10 ft)
Propellant mass	207,000 kg (456,000 lb)
Motor	S-200
Thrust	4,658 kN (1,047,000 lbf) each
Total thrust	9,316 kN (2,094,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	274.5 (vacuum)
Burn time	130 sec
Propellant	HTPB
Core stage – SC-160
Propellant mass	160,000 kg (350,000 lb)
Engines	SCE-200
Thrust	SL: 1,820 kN (410,000 lbf) Vac: 2,030 kN (460,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	SL: 299 s (2.93 km/s) Vac: 335 s (3.29 km/s)
Burn time	259 sec
Propellant	Kerosene / LOX
Upper stage – C-30
Propellant mass	30,000 kg (66,000 lb)
Engines	CE-20
Thrust	200 kN (45,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	443 s (4.34 km/s)
Burn time	650 sec
Propellant	LH2 / LOX

The Unified Launch Vehicle (ULV) is a currently under development by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This vehicle is designed to replace the PSLV, GSLV Mk I/II and GSLV Mk III with a single family of launchers.

The design may include a heavy-lift variant dubbed HLV, consisting of the SC-160 stage and two solid rocket boosters, as well as a super heavy-lift variant called SHLV with a cluster stage of five SCE-200 engines. As SCE-200 will only fly after the successful completion of the Gaganyaan program, the launcher will not fly before 2022.

Design

As of May 2013, based on ISRO data, the design comprised a common core and upper stage, with four different booster sizes. All four versions of the boosters are solid motors, with at least three versions reusing current motors from the PSLV, GSLV Mk I/II and LVM3. The core, known as the SC160 (Semi-Cryogenic stage with 160 tonnes of propellant, in the ISRO nomenclature), would have 160,000 kg (350,000 lb) of Kerosene / LOX propellant and be powered by a single SCE-200 rocket engine. The upper stage, known as the C30 (Cryogenic stage with 30 tonnes of propellant) would have 30,000 kg (66,000 lb) of LH2 / LOX propellant and be powered by a single CE-20 engine.

The four booster options are:

• 6 × S-13, slightly larger than the S-12 on PSLV, to burn longer;
• 2 × S-60, which appears to be a new solid motor development;
• 2 × S-139, which is the first stage of PSLV and GSLV Mk I/II;
• 2 × S-200, like on the LVM3.

Variants

Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV-Variant):-

A potential heavy-lift variant (HLV) of the unified launcher capable of placing up to 10 ton class of spacecraft into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit would include:

• A larger dual S-250 solid strap-on boosters as compared to the S-200 boosters used in LVM3;
• A L-400 semi-cryogenic core stage, with 400 tonnes of propellant, using a cluster of five SCE-200 engines;
• A L-27 cryogenic third stage, with 27 tonnes of propellant, using CE-20 engine.

Comparable rockets

• Angara (rocket family)
• Ariane 6
• Delta IV Heavy
• H3
• Long March (rocket family)
• Proton rocket
• Vulcan Centaur

See also

• Comparison of orbital launchers families
• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• GSLV Mk I/II
• LVM3
• Gaganyaan
• PSLV

External links

• ULV Description
• ULV development discussion