ISRO - ACTIVE LAUNCHER - PART - 2

The second stage of PSLV is PS2, and the Vikas Liquid Engine powers it. This stage was developed in the early 1990s.

PSLV STAGE 2

PSLV uses an Earth-storable liquid rocket engine, the Vikas engine, developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, for its second stage.

Second Stage of PSLV (PS2 Stage)

The second stage of PSLV (PS2 Stage) is powered by the radiation-cooled liquid engine (Vikas Engine), turbo pump-fed using Unsymmetrical Di-Methyl Hydrazine (UDMH) and 25% of Hydrazine hydrate as propellants. This stage boosts the rest of the PSLV stage and ignites at an altitude of 50km, and the satellite; all of this happens during the PSLV flight.

Specification:

Thrust	799 kN
Burn Duration	150 s
Propellants	N2O4 / UH25
Propellant Loading	42 t
Stage Diameter	2.8 m
Stage Height	12 m

PSLV PS2 Stage consists of different subsystems like Vikas Engine, slosh baffles, tankage with a common bulkhead, pressurisation system, gimbal control system, hot gas purge and flush system, command system, thrust frame and inter-stages, pogo suppressor command system, pneumatic umbilical system, fill and drain system, etc.

To understand PSLV Stage 2, you should first go through PSLV Stage 1,