Unified Launch Vehicle

ULV (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
Payload to LEO	6 × S-13: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) 2 × S-60: 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) 2 × S-139: 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) 2 × S-200: 15,000 kg (33,000 lb)
Payload to GTO	6 × S-13: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) 2 × S-60: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) 2 × S-139: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) 2 × S-200: 6,000 kg (13,000 lb)
Boosters - S-13
No. boosters	6
Length	12 m (39 ft)
Diameter	1 m (3 ft 3 in)
Propellant mass	12,200 kg (26,900 lb)
Motor	S-13
Thrust	716 kN (161,000 lbf)
Burn time	70 seconds
Fuel	HTPB
Boosters - S-60
No. boosters	2
Propellant mass	60,000 kg (130,000 lb)
Motor	S-60
Fuel	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
Fuel	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
Fuel	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
Fuel	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
Fuel	LH2 / LOX

The Unified Launch Vehicle (ULV) is a development project by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) whose core objective is to design a modular architecture that could eventually replace the PSLV, GSLV Mk I/II and LVM3 with a single family of launchers. The design may include a heavy-lift variant dubbed HLV.

Design

As of May 2013, the design disclosed by a specialized site 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.

A potential heavy-lift variant (HLV) of the unified launcher would include:

• larger S-250 solid strap-on boosters as compared to the S-200 boosters used on LVM3;
• a larger L-200 semi-cryogenic core stage with the same SCE-200 engine;
• a larger cryogenic upper stage (L-100) with a new CE-60 engine delivering 600 kN of thrust.

Comparable rockets

• Angara
• Atlas V
• Delta IV
• H3

See also

• Comparison of orbital launchers families
• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• GSLV Mk I/II
• LVM3
• ISRO Orbital Vehicle
• PSLV

External links

• ULV Description
• ULV development discussion