In charts | Starting off with SLV in 1979, ISRO crossed 100-mission mark after 46 years; what stands out is PSLV's dominance through decades with 62 missions
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday (January 29) achieved a historic milestone with its 100th mission and revealed an ambitious future plan of crossing the next 100 launches in five years.
Starting off with the SLV in 1979, the space agency crossed the 100-mission mark after 46 years, but what stands out is the PSLV's dominance through the years with 62 missions.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has turned out to be ISRO's most trusted rocket, thanks to its unmatched reliability.
While PSLV has been used for 62 missions, GSLV with indigenous cryogenic upper stage comes next with 17. LVM3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII — the heaviest rocket) with 7 and SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle) 3, follow suit.
The others are Reusable Launch Vehicle, TV (Test Vehicle) and PAT (Pad Abort Test).
Some of the significant missions that were successfully launched by PSLV include the ambitious Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013. Scientists describe the Chandrayaan-1 and Mars Orbiter Mission as the 'feathers in the hat' of PSLV.
GSLV, has given ISRO a run for its money, thanks to the challenging technology behind the rocket. So much so, some repeated failures prompted GSLV to be called 'naughty boy,' but things have since changed.
Here is the complete gallery of ISRO's 100 space missions, in chronological order:
