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Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3)

Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 was India's first experimental orbital launch vehicle. The 17-tonne, four-stage all-solid rocket flew four times from 1979 through 1983; SLV-3E2 placed Rohini RS-1 in orbit in 1980, making India the sixth nation to orbit a satellite with an indigenous launcher.

Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3)
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) · Stored/public JPEG is 981x1349 pixels with SHA-256 8a34f443c1a34c78c3a92ae04f154d49dad714ee37842ab221707b2e9d35d0df and is the same daylight SLV-3 launch photograph reproduced in the official ISRO Merchandising Catalogue, page 17. The current ISRO Copyright Policy permits material featured on its site to be reproduced free of charge in any format or media when reproduced accurately, not used in a derogatory or misleading context, and prominently acknowledged; it excludes material explicitly identified as third-party copyright. The catalogue identifies the material as ISRO and gives no third-party credit. This is an asset-level ISRO reuse basis, not a public-domain claim; ISRO names, logos, marks, and endorsement remain separately protected. · Source
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Identity

Aliases
SLV-3SLV 3Satellite Launch Vehicle 3India's first satellite launch vehicle
Family Name
SLV-3
Full Name
Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3)
Status
retired
Type
rocket

Details

Description
Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 was India's first experimental orbital launch vehicle. The 17-tonne, four-stage all-solid rocket flew four times from 1979 through 1983; SLV-3E2 placed Rohini RS-1 in orbit in 1980, making India the sixth nation to orbit a satellite with an indigenous launcher.
Dimensions
Height
…
First Flight Year
1,979
Last Flight Year
1,983
Manufacturer
Operator
Propulsion Configurations
  • Entries
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      first-stage
      Variant Notes
      ISRO specifies PBAN propellant for the first SLV-3 stage.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      second-stage
      Variant Notes
      ISRO specifies PBAN propellant for the second SLV-3 stage.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      core
      Propulsion System
      Role
      main
      Stage
      third-stage
      Variant Notes
      ISRO specifies HEF-20 propellant for the third SLV-3 stage.
    • Count
      1
      Placement
      upper
      Propulsion System
      Role
      upper-stage
      Stage
      fourth-stage
      Variant Notes
      ISRO specifies HEF-20 propellant for the fourth SLV-3 stage.
    Name
    SLV-3 four-stage solid configuration
    Notes
    ISRO identifies SLV-3 as an all-solid four-stage vehicle; its historical propulsion overview specifies PBAN for stages 1–2 and HEF-20 for stages 3–4. No narrower motor designations are inferred.
Rocket Specs
Liftoff Mass
…
Payload Capacity
LEO
…
Reusability
expendable
Stages Count
4
Strap On Boosters Count
0

Links

Official Url
https://www.isro.gov.in/SLV.html

Assets & Meta

Creation Time
July 14, 2026 at 07:40:11 UTC
Updated Time
August 13, 2026 at 23:03:20 UTC
Image
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