The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle - XL (PSLV-XL) is the six side-mounted solid rocket booster configuration of the overall PSLV family of expendable rockets flown by India.
It is the most-used rocket of the PSLV line and is capable of launching missions to the Moon and Mars.
Its first flight occurred on October 22nd, 2008.
The rocket uses a mixture of solid and liquid propellant stages to get to orbit. The first stage, also called the core, is a solid propellant rocket, and the six side-mounted solid propellant boosters are bolted to it.
A liquid fueled second stage then takes over, followed by a third stage that is powered by solid propellant.
A liquid fueled fourth stage serves as the final part of the rocket. The engines on this stage are restartable to place satellites into their proper orbits.
Image: ISRO