ISRO's Monumental Launch: India's Heaviest Navy Communication Satellite Reaches Orbit

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan has extended his heartiest congratulations to ISRO and the Indian Navy on the successful launch of the CMS-03 communication satellite. Radhakrishnan hailed the milestone, noting that the powerful LVM3-M5 rocket has once again demonstrated its might by successfully placing the GSAT-7R (CMS-03) into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). This satellite, considered the heaviest and most advanced communication satellite for the Indian Navy, is a testament to India's growing prowess in space technology.

The Vice-President noted that the indigenously developed satellite will play a pivotal role in strengthening space-based communications, connectivity, and maritime domain awareness across the Indian Ocean region. He emphasized that this achievement marks another milestone in India's drive for self-reliance, or Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Commending the dedicated efforts of Indian scientists and engineers, Radhakrishnan observed that ISRO continues to break new ground in space exploration.

Earlier the same day, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) marked a significant advancement in India's space and defense capabilities by successfully launching and deploying the Navy's GSAT-7R (CMS-03) communication satellite. Built to weigh about 4,400 kg, this satellite is the heaviest communication payload developed so far by India. The launch took place on Sunday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 5:26 pm.

The newly launched satellite is set to augment the Indian Navy's space-based communication and maritime domain awareness capabilities. It incorporates advanced indigenous components specifically designed to meet the Navy's operational needs. As per ISRO, CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide extensive services over the oceanic region, including the Indian landmass.

This launch boasted the prominent LVM3 launch vehicle, which had previously facilitated the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the lunar South Pole. With CMS-03 as its payload, this marked the vehicle's fifth operational launch. According to ISRO, the LVM3 had been assembled and ready on the launch pad since October 26, awaiting this launch event.

The LVM3-M5's launch sequence involved eight procedures, culminating in the separation of CMS-03 from the vehicle at an altitude of about 179 kilometers, traveling at a velocity of approximately 10 km per second. The LVM3 launch vehicle stands 43.5 meters tall with a liftoff mass of 642 tonnes, utilizing three stages of propellants to achieve its GTO destination.