VSSC LIBRARY

P ECT
 I SPACE CENT
IND
 The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is intended
for launching INSAT-I1 class satellite into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
(GTO). This document describes the configuration and the various
systems of the vehicle.

The data given in this document is for

reference only. For any studies or analysis
the data given in GSLV Vehicle Data
document shall be referred
 The GSLV is a three stage vehicle, about 49 m long and weighs
about 400 tones at lift-off.

GSLV c o ~ a t i o comprises
n of:

The first stage (GS1) consisting of a Solid propellant core motor

(53125) and 4 liquid strapons (L40). The solid motor is loaded with
129 tones of solid propellant and each liquid strapon is loaded
with 40 tonnes of liquid propellant.

The second stage (GS2)employs a liquid propulsion system with a

propellant loading of 37.5 tonnes.

The third stage (GS3) employs a cryogenic propulsion system with

re-start capability and a propellant loading of 12.5 tonnes.

The heat shield is 3.4 m in diameter and 7.8 rn in length.

The configuration is represented as:

The configuration shown in fig. 2.1

The major systems of the vehicle are:

*:* Vehicle propulsion system

6 Vehicle structures

*3 Control power plants

++: Vehicle avionics systems consisting of navigation,

Guidance, control, telemetry 8& tracking,and power systems.

9 Auxiliary systems consisting of separation and jettisoning

systems, and destruct systems.
+:+
Thermal protection system consisting of thermal shield between
EB and GS3, thermal boot for L 4 O engines, external thermal
coatings on H S and other structures and jettisonable insulation
panels for launch pad application.

The functional characteristics of the stages are given in table 2.1.

2.1 FIRST STAGE (GS1)

The first stage (GS1) comprises of a solid propellant motor (S125)

and four liquid strapons (IAO). The strapons are ignited about 3.5s prior
to the ignition of the S125 motor. The S125 motor is ignited after
ensuring all L40 strapons are functioning normally and activating
withdrawal of cryo filling arm. The S125 motor burns for about 100 s
and L40 strapons continue to burn further upto 160s. The burnt out
L40 strapons and S125 motor are then separated from the vehicle
employing hot separation through a vented interstage. The first stage
configuration is shown in fig.2.2.

The strapons are attached to the core motor at three planes.

The strapons are provided with fins for aerodynamic stability of the
vehicle.

The interstage IS 1/2 M is separated after the separation of the

burnt out first stage.
2.2. GSB STAGE
2.1.1 LIQUID STRAPOB ( LLU) )

The L40 strapon is 2.1 m in diameter and about 19.682 m long

and is powered by a single VIKAS engine, canted at 6 degree to the stage
axis away from the core motor. The useful propellant loading is 40
tomes. The propellants (N20486 UDMH) are stored in two independent
aluminium tanks in tandem and connected by a n inter tank skirt. The
inter tank skirt houses a toroidal water tank. The helium gas bottles are
housed in the strapon nose cone.
The aft end has a base shroud and the thrust of the engine is
transferred to the core vehicle through ball and socket joint between
strapon base shroud and core base shroud. The fornard connection to
the core vehicle is on the nose cone of the strapon and transfers lateral
forces and moments due to aerodynamic load. The attachment linkages
at the fore end of strapon are attached to the $125 motor near the
segment joint between the head end segment and tfre first mid segment.
The third set of attachment linkages at the inter tank skirt of strapon are
attached to the S125 motor near the segment joint bemeen the 2ndand
3rd mid segment.

Pogo corrector is employed in the feed line to suppress generation

of pogo oscillations.

Antislosh baffles are provided in the N204 tank and the UDMH
tank. Six vertical baffles are provided in each tank.

A deck plate is provided in the L4O nose cone t o mount the

electronic packages.

The engine is provided with single plane gimbal control

perpendicular to the cant plane with a capability of +/- 8 deg. gimballing
using electro hydraulic actuators. This actuator is powered by a gas
motor that is run by hot gas tapped from the engine gas generator.

The liquid strapons are provided with destruct chord on both the
propellant tanks for destruction of the stage in case of vehicle mal-
function.

The configuration of the stage is shown in fig. 2.1.1

The Gimbal control system is shown in fig. 2.1.2
Strapon parameters

Total mass 45.613 t

Useful propellant mass 40.03 t

Inert mass 5.6 t

Dry mass 5t

Steady state burn time 159 s

Steady state bum time dispersion +/- 2 s

Specific impulse (Vacuum) 2754.65 Ns/kg

Engine fixed cant 6 deg (radial)

Gimbal angle +/- 8 degree

CG off-set 3mmto25mm.

Engine data

Nozzle exit diameter

Area ratio (Ae/At)

Total thrust misalignment

Including null setting 0.1 degree (Roll)
0.5 degree (pitch & yaw)

Turbine exhaust thrust (vacuum) : 6.3 kN (total for two)

2.1.2 Solid Coxe Mototor (S125)

The S125 solid core motor is of 2.8 m diameter and is loaded

with about 129 tomes of HTPB based propellant. The motor is made of
5 segments. Segment joints are of tang and clevis type. The motor case
is made of M-250 Maraging steel. The motor has a conventional
convergent divergent nozzle. The pyrogen type ignitor system is mounted
at the head end of the motor.
The solid motor has been provided with multi-port secondary
injection thrust vector control system (SITVC) to augment the pitch and
yaw control capability of the f i s t stage during boost phase.
The solid rocket motor is provided with longitudinal FLSC destruct
system to cut open the motor in case of vehicle malfunction.

The fore end of the S125 motor has a vented interstage, for
facilitating hot separation of the burnt-out frrst stage. The vented
interstage is made of aluminium alloy and is af open isogrid
construction. It is provided with thermal protection to protect the
structure from hot gases during the starting of GS2 engine.

At t h e aft end of interstage IS 1/2 M FLSC chord is provided for

separation of the first stage.

The aft end of the motor is connected to the core base shroud,
which supports the vehicle on the launch pad. The core base shroud also
provides the interface for mountirig the strapon and the vehicle hold
down mechanism. The core base shroud houses all avionics for the core
motor.

The configurationof S 125 motor is shown in fig. 2.1.3

The SITVC system configuration is shown in fig. 2.1.4

S 125 stage pasameters

Total mass 156.2 t

Propellant mass 129.0 t

I n e r t mass 27.2 t *
Nozzle exit diameter 2.366

Area ratio 8.0

Thrust misalignment 0.1 to 0.3 degree

Control Multipart SITVC

Action time : Nominal 100.1 s

Dispersion +/- 6.7 s

Max. Thrust (Vacuum) 4621.5 kN

Specific impulse (Vacuum) : 2613.5 N-s/kg.

-=-
MAST a,
.

Sl25 MOTOR

j CONTROL SITVC

MAX Tf-EttJSTpAC) 462 1.5 W

SPECIFIC B@ULSE(VAC) 2613.5 M-a/@

AVIONIC PACKAGES

s m c VALVE
2.2 GS2 STAGE (L37.5)

The second stage of GSLV is 2.8 rn in dia, and 11.6 long and
powered by a single liquid engine. The propellants are stored in the two
compartments of the stage tankage separated by a common bulk head.
The GS2 is attached to the first stage through h t e r stage IS 112 U to
intestage IS 1/2M in the aft end. The fore end is attached through
interstage IS2/3 L to GS3 ( c v o stage). The tanks are made of
Aluminium alloy and are pressurised by helium. The gas bottles of the
pressurisation systems are located in the interstage IS 2/3L. Water is
stored in a toroid tank located in the interstage IS 1/2 U. The thrust of
the engine is transferred to the stage tankage through a conical thrust
frame. The electronic packages are mounted in IS 2/3 L and thrust
frame. It carries 37.5 tonnes of useful propellants of N204 and UDMH. It
uses VIKAS engine with nozzle area ratio 3 1 and the engine is gimballed
in two planes by electro hydraulic actuation systems to provide pitch and
yaw control. Roll control is by hot gas RCS system.

The second stage is separated from the third stage by pyro system
mounted in the GS3 LOX tank - IS 213 U interface. Retro rockets (4
numbers) mounted on the IS 1/2 U structure provide the separation
velocity to GS2.

The GS2 configuration is shown in fig.2.2.1

The Gimbal control system is shown in fig. 2.2.2

GS2 stage parameters

Total mass

Inert mass

Useful propellant

Stage specific impulse (vacuum)

Vacuum thrust (nominal)

Steady state burn time

Burn time dispersion

Maximum gimbal vector angle 4 deg.
In pitch and yaw planes

GS2 engine details:

Nozzle exit diameter

Ae/At (ratio of exit area of

Nozzle to throat area)

Total thrust misalignment

Including null setting 1.0 degree

Turbine exhaust (maximum) 5.9 IcN (total)

L
IL
 The third stage is a cryogenic stage having 12.5 tonnes of nominal
propellant loading (C12) and powered by a 7.5 tonnes thrust restartable
engine. The stage is 2.8 m in diameter and about 8.5 rn long. Liquid
hydrogen (LH2) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) are stored in two separate
tanks of aluminium wame construction. The two tanks are connected by
a titanium inter tank structure of truss construction. The tanks are
externally insulated by rigid foam.

The main engine of the stage , which is a fixed engine, is mounted

in the recess of the LOX tank using a thrust frame.

The aft end of the stage is attached to the second stage through
lower adapter (IS 2/3 U). The main load carrying structure is of titanium
truss type construction. A shroud of aluminium sandwich with carbon
fibre overlay covers the lower adapter. The fore end of the LH2 tank is
attached to the lower stub adapter. The slower stub adapter is of
titanium truss type construction. It is attached to the upper stub adapter
at the forward end. The lower stub adapter has a hermetically sealed
safety screen at the forward end. The gap between the safety screen and
the top dome of LH2 tank is purged with Nitrogen when the vehicle is on
the launch pad (after fiUing LH2

The lower stub adapter, inter tank skirt and lower adapter (IS2/3
U) have ball / fork type joints at the interfaces for taking care of the
shrinkage of tanks when loaded with cryo propellants.
For pitch, yaw and roll control during thrusting phase two
swivellable auxiliary engines using LH2 and LOX are provided. For
control during coast phase cold gas system using GN2 is provided

The configuration of GS3 is shown in fig.2.3.1

The vernier engine and coast phase control system details are
shown in fig 2.3.2

GS3 jC12)stage parameters:

Total mass of CS stage after

GS2 separation
Dry mass of CS

Unused propellants and gases

Total mass of loaded propellant and gases :

Mass of propellant

Mass of gases
Mass of propellant vented in flight

Bopellant used for chilling

Mass of useful propellant

Number of starts

Steady state specific impulse

First burn
Second burn

Steady state thrust

First burn
Second burn
The above thrust includes the vernier engine thrust of 1.96 kN
each.

Area ratio
2.4 HEAT SHIELD

Heat shield protects the spacecraft and equipment bay from

aerodynamic heating during the atmospheric phase of the flight.

The configuration of the heat shield is shown in fig.2.4.1 The dynamic

envelope of the heat shield is shown in fig. 2.4.2

The heat shield has a nose radius of 1000 mm and the height of
nose cone is 3480 mm. The diameter of the cylindrical portion is 3.4 m
and the height is 3.8 m. The boat tail has a height 520 rnm. The heat
shield is attached to the payload adapter with a merman band and
facilitates the encapsulated assembly of the spacecraft and heat shield.
The aft end interface is similar to the PSLV heat shield.

The heat shield uses a zip chord system for vertical separation and
a merman band type system with bolt cutters for horizontal separation.
The heat shield is provided with acoustic blanket inside for attenuating
acoustic noise and is thermally protected outside.

Mass of the heat shield 1300 kg

Nomixla1 diameter 3.4 rn

Diameter of dynarnic envelope in

Cylindrical portion 3.05 rn

Volume in cylindrical portion above

Spacecraft separation plane 23 m3

The heat shield is made of aluminium alloy material. The

cylindrical portion is of isogrid construction. The heat shield has cut
outs for payload access. The heat shield is provided with vent holes for
venting during flight to ensure that the pressure inside the heat shield
does not exceed design pressure. For spacecraft cooling the heat shield
is provided with cooled air supply through umbilical connectors. The
cooling air is out through the vent holes.
 ARE IN mm

2.4. B HEAT SHIELD COMFIGUMTITOM

 DETAIL 'A'

0
In
SEPARATION PLANE

1 ALL DIMENSIONS ARE I N MM

2.4.2.DYNAMICENVELOPE OF
GSLV HEAT SHIELD
2.5 EQUIPMENT BAY, UPPER STUB ADAPTER AND
PAYLOAD ADAPTER.

The upper stub adapter is a 290 mm long cylindrical structure.

The aft end of the upper stub adapter interfaces with the fonvard end of
lower stub adapter (forward skirt of C12 cryo stage). The forward end of
the upper stub adapter houses the Equipment bay umbilical connectors.
The EB deck plate is mounted on the support structure in the upper
stub adapter. All the avionics packages of equipment bay are mounted
on the deck plate.

The payload adapter is a conical structure whose bottom ring has

a height of 60 rnm and interface with heat shield a t top and upper stub
adapter at bottom. The configuration is shown in fig.2.5.1.

The payload adapter is configured in such a way that the payload

is assembled with payload adapter and heat shield (encapsulated
assembly) separately in the payload preparation building and brought to
the launch pad. The encapsulated assembly is then attached to the
upper stub adapter by a bolted connection.
2.6 SEPARATION SYSTEM

Its function is to separate the spent stages, and heat shield during the
flight. The various separation systems used in GSLV are:

GS1 separation:
The GS1 is separated using hot separation by employing a vented
interstage. The hot separation does away w i t h the need for ullage and
retro rockets. The ignition of the GS2 stage is effected when the
command for the shutting off of 140 strapons are issued. The command
for the separation of GS1 is issued a t a suitable time to ensure smooth
separation. The GS2 thrust acting on the dome of 5125 motors provide
the necessary separation velocity. Physical separation is achieved by a
FLSC chord mounted on the aft end of interstage IS 1.2M. A butting
arrangement is provided at the aft end to provide lateral constraint till
physical separation takes place after issuing the separation command.

IS 1/52 M / GS2 separation:

IS 1 / 2 M is separated after a few seconds after the separation of

GS 1. FLSC is used for the separation.

GS2 is separated from GS3 by using a pyro actuated collet release

mechanism mounted at the forward end of Cryo stage lower adapter (IS
2/3U).The above release systems are provided at each of the eight truss
nodes of Cryo stage lower adapter. Separation velocity is provide by the
four retro rockets mounted at the aft end (ZS1/2U) of GS2 stage .

-3- Spacecraft separation:

The GS3 after burn out is separated from spacecraft using a

merman band and bolt cutter separation system. Separation velocity is
provided by spring thrusters mounted at the separation interface.
Residual gases from GS3 is used to maneuver the separated stage away
from the spacecraft.

Heat Shield separation:

For horizontal separation merman band separation with bolt cutter

is used. Vertical separation is achieved by zip chord system mounted a t
the vertical separation plane. The zip chord is mounted a t the cylinder of
the piston cylinder assembly. The pressure of the gas generates during
the activation of the zip chord provides the necessary separation velocity.

The various separation systems provided in the vehicle are shown

in fig.2.6.l
2.7 DESTRUCT SYSTEMS

Vehicle destnct system is incorporated in GS1 and GS2 stages for

the purpose of range safety in case of vehicle malfunction during flight.
These systems can be initiated through telecornmand, when required
from the range safety console located in the control centre. The location
details of the destruct system are given in fig. 2.7.1

GS 1 destruct system

For S125 longitudinal cutting of motor case is adopted. The

system consists of rigid linear shaped charges (F?LSC) mounted on to
weld pads provided externally on motor case segment. These are
mounted along the middle of each motor segment at diametrically
opposite locations. Initiation of the system is through a safe arm device
and Explosive Transfer Assembly (ETA) lines. The system is protected
from aerodynamic heating by environmental covers. The systems are
similar to that used in PSLV booster.

The L40 destruct system is similar to the S125 system. It consists

of flexible linear shaped charge (FLSC) mounted externally on the fuel
tank and oxidizer tank. The initiation of the cord is through a safe arm
device and ETA lines. Two destruct chords are located at diametrically
opposite locations for each strapon.

GS2 destract system

This also adopts longitudinal cutting system. The system consists

of FLSC mounted externally on fuel and oxidizer tank structure at
diametrically opposite locations near common bulkhead region. This is
identical to that used in PS2 of PSLV.