New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the country’s heaviest communication satellite CMS-03 on Sunday.
The CMS-03 is a multi-band military communication satellite, also known as GSAT-7R, and will be launched aboard the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) — the country’s most powerful rocket.
The launch is scheduled to take place on November 2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
“CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass,” ISRO said.
“CMS-03, weighing about 4,400kg, will be the heaviest communication satellite to be launched to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Indian soil,” it added.
The LVM3 rocket is India’s heaviest launch vehicle and can carry up to 4,000 kg to space.
It has successfully launched missions like Chandrayaan-3 to the Moon, which made India the first country to land successfully near the lunar south pole.
The designated LVM3-M5 will be its fifth operational flight.
“The launch vehicle has been fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft and has been moved to the launch pad on October 26, for further pre-launch operations,” ISRO said.
The GSAT-7R, designed exclusively for the Indian Navy, will succeed the GSAT-7 Rukmini satellite launched in 2013.
With upgraded payloads, GSAT-7R is designed to expand secure, multi-band communications for the Navy, and strengthen its operational reach across critical maritime domains.
The CMS-03 payload includes transponders for voice, data, and video links over C, extended C, and Ku bands.
The satellite will significantly boost connectivity for the Navy. It will also provide higher-capacity bandwidth, thus improving digital access to remote territories. This will aid both civilian agencies and help improve strategic applications.
Last week, ISRO chairman Dr. V. Narayanan also announced the launch of the 6.5-tonne BlueBird-6 satellite by the year-end.
“Blue Bird is a communication satellite. We have received the satellite, and we are working for the launch, and the launch vehicle build-up is going on,” Narayanan told IANS during a media briefing for ESTIC-2025.
“The date will be announced by the Prime Minister at the appropriate time,” he said, adding, “we are targeting to accomplish before this year’s end”.
The Block 2 BlueBird communications satellite, developed by the US-based AST SpaceMobile, will also be launched on board the LVM3 rocket from Sriharikota.
(IANS)
