Full Form of ASLV
Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle
ASLV Full Form is Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle. It is a launch vehicle designed and developed by ISRO to launch satellites of 150 Kg class into circular orbits. ISRO built ASLV in the yearly years after its inception. The first successful launch vehicle built by ISRO was SLV-3. With the experience gained from SLV-3 launch, ISRO build ASLV to demonstrate the critical technologies that it had mastered. In fact, it was with ASLV it had mastered the strap-on technology which is widely used by the space agency for its PSLV programme.
As the name suggests, it was built to augment the payload capacity of the earlier launch vehicle SLV-3. SLV-3 was able to launch satellites weighing about 50 Kg into low earth orbit. With the help of ASLV the payload capacity was increased to 150 Kg.
ASLV was a 5 stage vehicle comprising of solid propellant in all five stages. The 24 meter tall ASLV had a lift off weight of about 40 tonnes. ISRO launched four developmental flights under ASLV programme. Subsequently it built more advanced PSLV. Once PSLV became operational, the ASLV was retired.