The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has moved its LVM-3 launch vehicle to the pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, ahead of the scheduled 2 November launch. The mission will deploy the CMS-03 or Gsat-7R satellite, designed specifically to enhance the Indian Navy’s advanced communication network.

This marks the fifth operational flight of the LVM-3 and the rocket’s first dedicated naval communication mission.

Originally targeted for late 2024, the launch was delayed due to extended satellite integration and mission readiness checks. The CMS-03 satellite, weighing 4,400 kilograms, will be the heaviest Indian communication satellite sent to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit from Indian soil. It will employ multiple communication bands to transmit secure voice, video, and data links between naval ships, submarines, and aircraft, significantly bolstering maritime situational awareness and defence coordination.

According to ISRO, CMS-03 will extend coverage across vast oceanic regions, encompassing the Indian landmass and far-reaching zones of the Indian Ocean. This will strengthen the Navy’s real-time information exchange and operational command, allowing greater autonomy in naval operations without foreign satellite reliance. The mission underscores India’s strategic push for independent space-based defence communication assets.

The LVM-3, ISRO’s most powerful launch vehicle, last flew during the Chandrayaan-3 mission in July 2023, which made India the first nation to achieve a soft landing near the lunar south pole. That success has further validated the rocket’s reliability for heavy-lift operations to high-energy orbits.

Amid earlier concerns about a developing cyclone near the Bay of Bengal, ISRO had been monitoring weather systems closely before transport to the launch complex. With the cyclone now moving away, pre-launch operations have resumed smoothly, confirming all systems go for the 2 November launch window.

Post this mission, ISRO is preparing to conduct another LVM-3 launch in early December to place a United States-based private communication satellite, Bluebird, into orbit. The back-to-back launches using LVM-3 highlight the platform’s growing role in both national security and commercial missions, signalling India’s expanding presence in the global satellite launch market.

Based On TOI Report