News Desk: In a major milestone for India’s defence and space capabilities, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the Indian Navy’s GSAT-7R (CMS-03) communication satellite on Sunday at 5:26 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The mission was carried out using ISRO’s LVM3-M5 launch vehicle, marking another proud achievement in India’s space journey.
Announcing the liftoff on X, ISRO wrote, “Liftoff! #LVM3M5 launches #CMS03 from SDSC SHAR, carrying India’s heaviest communication satellite to GTO,” sharing a live link to the event.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said the CMS-03 satellite, designed and developed indigenously, is a multi-band communication satellite offering coverage across a vast oceanic region, including the Indian landmass. “This satellite is built for a service life of at least 15 years and embodies the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said, congratulating the team behind the mission.
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Despite challenging weather during the launch campaign, Narayanan commended the ISRO scientists for accomplishing the mission successfully. He also revealed a significant experimental breakthrough—successful reignition of the C-25 cryogenic stage after orbital injection, a move that will enable future missions to place multiple satellites in varied orbits using the ‘Bahubali’ rocket LVM-3.
Weighing over 4,400 kg, GSAT-7R is India’s heaviest communication satellite to date. It will significantly boost the Indian Navy’s communication and maritime domain awareness, providing secure, high-capacity voice, data, and video links between ships, aircraft, submarines, and naval command centres across the Indian Ocean Region.
