# PSLV-C6

PSLV-C6 was the sixth operational launch and overall ninth mission of the PSLV program. This launch was also the fifty-fourth launch by Indian Space Research Organisation since its first mission on 1 January 1962. The vehicle carried and injected India's two satellites; Cartosat-1 (a.k.a. IRS-P5) and HAMSAT into the Sun-synchronous orbit. PSLV-C6 was launched at 04:44 hours Coordinated Universal Time (10:14 hours Indian Standard Time) on 5 May 2005 from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

## Mission highlights

* Sixth operational launch of the PSLV program.
* Overall ninth mission of the PSLV program.
* Overall fifty-fourth launch by Indian Space Research Organisation.
* First flight to be launched from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
* Carried and injected two satellites built by ISRO.

## Mission parameters

* Mass:
** Total liftoff weight: 295,980 kilograms (652,520 lb)
** Payload weight: 1,602.5 kilograms (3,533 lb)
* Overall height: 44.4 metres (145.7 ft)
* Propellant:
** First stage: Solid HTPB based (138.0 + 6 x 9 tonnes)
** Second stage: Liquid UH 25 + N$_2$O$_4$ (41.5 tonnes)
** Third stage: Solid HTPB based (7.6 tonnes)
** Fourth stage: Liquid MMH + MON (2.5 tonnes)
* Engine:
** First stage: Core (PS 1) + 6 strap-on PSOM
** Second stage: Vikas
** Third stage: PS 3
** Fourth stage: PS 4
* Thrust:
** First stage: 4,762 + 645 x 6 kN
** Second stage: 800 kN
** Third stage: 246 kN
** Fourth stage: 7.3 x 2 kN
* Altitude: 628.535 kilometres (391 mi)
* Maximum velocity:7,546 metres per second (24,757 ft/s) (recorded at time of payload separation)
* Duration: 1,120 seconds

## Payload

PSLV-C6 carried and deployed two Indian satellites, Cartosat-1 (a.k.a. IRS-P5) and HAMSAT into the Sun-synchronous orbit. Built by ISRO, Cartosat-1 was a stereoscopic remote sensing satellite and first of the Cartosat series of satellites. HAMSAT was a microsatellite, built for providing satellite based amateur radio satellite to the national as well as the international community of amateur radio operators (HAM).
| Country | Name | Nos | Mass | Type | Objective |
| India | IRS-P5 | 1 | 1,560 kg | Satellite | Remote sensing satellite |
| India | HAMSAT | 1 | 42.5 kg | Microsatellite | Amateur radio satellite |

## Launch & planned flight profile

PSLV-C6 was launched at 04:44 hours Coordinated Universal Time (10:14 hours Indian Standard Time) on 5 May 2005 from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission was planned with pre-flight prediction of covering overall distance of 622 kilometres (386 mi). Following was the flight profile.
| Stage | Time (seconds) | Altitude (kilometer) | Velocity (meter/sec) | Event | Remarks |
| First stage | T+0 | 0.025 | 452 | Ignition of PS 1 | Lift off |
| First stage | T+1.19 | 0.026 | 452 | Ignition of 4 ground-lit PSOM | |
| First stage | T+25 | 2.463 | 551 | Ignition of 2 air-lit PSOM | |
| First stage | T+68 | 23.748 | 1,179 | Separation of 4 ground-lit PSOM | |
| First stage | T+90 | 42.768 | 1,659 | Separation of 2 air-lit PSOM | |
| First stage | T+112.03 | 67.411 | 1,995 | Separation of PS 1 | |
| Second stage | T+112.23 | 67.635 | 1,994 | Ignition of PS 2 | |
| Second stage | T+156.03 | 115.244 | 2,314 | Separation of heat shield | |
| Second stage | T+263.38 | 233.873 | 4,087 | Separation of PS 2 | |
| Third stage | T+264.58 | 235.304 | 4,083 | Ignition of HPS 3 | |
| Third stage | T+517.52 | 498.974 | 5,865 | Separation of HPS 3 | |
| Fourth stage | T+531.50 | 509.092 | 5,851 | Ignition of PS 4 | |
| Fourth stage | T+1,043.62 | 627.153 | 7,542 | Cut-off of PS 4 | |
| Fourth stage | T+1,080.62 | 627.801 | 7,546 | Cartosat-1 separation | |
| Fourth stage | T+1,120.62 | 628.535 | 7,546 | HAMSAT separation | Mission complete |