ISRO's 'Bahubali': Heavyweight Satellite Launch Set for Sunday

ISRO is poised to launch its CMS-03 satellite, weighing an impressive 4,410 kilograms, from the spaceport this Sunday, officials confirmed. This communication satellite will be propelled into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit by the LVM3-M5 rocket, which ISRO has nicknamed 'Bahubali' due to its substantial lifting capacity.

Preparations are well underway, as the Bengaluru-based space agency has confirmed that the launch vehicle has been fully assembled and has been relocated to the launch pad for final pre-launch operations. The liftoff is scheduled for 5:26 PM on November 2, marking the fifth operational flight of LVM3-M5.

While there are reports of the satellite's military surveillance applications, ISRO has not officially commented on this. The LVM3-M5, equipped with solid motor strap-ons and cryogenic core stages, emphasizes ISRO's growing prowess in executing heavy-payload missions and achieving greater independence in satellite deployment.