# PSLV-C2

PSLV-C2 was the second operational launch and overall fifth mission of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) program. This launch was also the forty-third launch by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) since its first mission on 1 January 1962. The vehicle carried three satellites which were deployed in the Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit. The vehicle carried India's first remote sensing satellite Oceansat-1 (IRS-P4) as the main payload. It also carried South Korean satellite KITSAT-3 and German satellite DLR-Tubsat as auxiliary payloads. PSLV-C2 was the first Indian Expendable launch vehicle to carry and deploy more than one satellite in a mission. This was also India's and ISRO's first commercial spaceflight where South Korea and Germany each paid US$1.0 million (equivalent to $1.83 million in 2023) to ISRO for launching their satellites.

## Mission parameters

* Mass:
** Total liftoff weight: 294,000 kg (648,000 lb)
** Payload weight: 1,202 kg (2,650 lb)
* Overall height: 44.4 m (146 ft)
* Propellant:
** First stage: Solid HTPB based (138.0 + 54 tonnes)
** Second stage: Liquid UDMH + N$_2$O$_4$ (4.06 tonnes)
** Third stage: Solid HTPB based (7.2 tonnes)
** Fourth stage: Liquid MMH + N$_2$O$_4$ (2.0 tonnes)
* Engine:
** First stage: S139
** Second stage: Vikas
** Third stage:
** Fourth stage: 2 x PS-4
* Thrust:
** First stage: 4628 + 662 x 6 kN
** Second stage: 725 kN
** Third stage: 340 kN
** Fourth stage: 7.2 x 2 kN
* Altitude: 735.1 km (456.8 mi)
* Maximum velocity: 7,490 m/s (24,600 ft/s) (recorded at time of fourth stage ignition)
* Duration: 1117.5 seconds

## Payload

PSLV-C2 carried and deployed total three satellites. Oceansat-1 (IRS-P4) was the main payload and KITSAT-3 and DLR-Tubsat were two auxiliary payloads that were mounted on PSLV-C2 equipment bay diametrically opposite to each other. Oceansat-1, was mounted on top of the equipment bay. In the flight sequence, IRS-P4 was injected first, followed by KITSAT-3 and then DLR-Tubsat.
| Country | Name | No. | Mass | Type | Objective |
| India | Oceansat-1 | 1 | 1050 kg | Indian Remote Sensing Satellite | Remote sensing |
| South Korea | KITSAT-3 | 1 | 107 kg | Microsatellite | Test and demonstrate new satellite bus & its payloads |
| Germany | DLR-Tubsat | 1 | 45 kg | Microsatellite | Test newly developed attitude control system |

## Launch and planned flight profile

PSLV-C2 was launched at 06:22 UTC on 26 May 1999 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (then called "Sriharikota Launching Range"). The mission was planned with pre-flight prediction of perigee and apogee of 727 km (452 mi). The actual perigee was 723.1 km, apogee was 735.1 km. Following was the planned flight profile.
| Stage | Time (seconds) | Altitude (kilometer) | Velocity (meter/sec) | Event | Remarks |
| First stage | T+0 | 0.02 | 450 | First stage ignition | Lift-off |
| First stage | T+1.2 | 0.02 | 450 | Ignition of 4 ground-lit strap-on motors | |
| First stage | T+25.1 | 2.43 | 540 | Ignition of 2 air-lit strap-on motors | |
| First stage | T+68.1 | 23.10 | 1,100 | Separation of 4 ground-lit strap-on motors | |
| First stage | T+90.1 | 40.21 | 1,520 | Separation of 2 air-lit strap-on motors | |
| First stage | T+117.7 | 72.08 | 1,970 | First stage separation | |
| Second stage | T+117.9 | 72.38 | 1,970 | Second stage ignition | |
| Second stage | T+162.7 | 120.71 | 2,210 | Heat shield separation | |
| Second stage | T+167.7 | 126.60 | 2,260 | Closed-loop guidance initiation | |
| Second stage | T+284.5 | 254.03 | 4,070 | Second stage separation | |
| Third stage | T+285.7 | 255.46 | 4,060 | Third stage ignition | |
| Third stage | T+506.4 | 533.57 | 5,970 | Third stage separation | |
| Fourth stage | T+584.4 | 605.44 | 5,870 | Fourth stage ignition | |
| Fourth stage | T+991.7 | 728.25 | 7,490 | Fourth stage thrust cut-off | |
| Fourth stage | T+1017.5 | 728.66 | 7,490 | Oceansat-1 (IRS-P4) separation | |
| Fourth stage | T+1067.5 | 729.51 | 7,490 | KITSAT-3 separation | |
| Fourth stage | T+1117.5 | 730.41 | 7,490 | DLR-Tubsat separation | |
The launch was witnessed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee (then Prime Minister of India), Murli Manohar Joshi, Vasundhara Raje and N. Chandrababu Naidu.