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ISRO Begins Countdown for LVM3-M5 Launch of CMS-03, India’s Heaviest Communication Satellite

The Navy-focused multi-band spacecraft will be inserted into transfer orbit for weeks of maneuvering to boost secure maritime links.

Overview

  • Liftoff is scheduled for 5:26 pm IST on November 2 from Sriharikota after ISRO confirmed final preparations and the countdown start.
  • The 4,410 kg CMS-03 will be the heaviest satellite launched from Indian soil into GTO, providing coverage across the Indian landmass and adjacent ocean regions.
  • LVM3-M5, a three-stage heavy-lift rocket with S200 boosters, an L110 liquid core and a C25 cryogenic stage, will fly its fifth operational mission.
  • Powered ascent is expected to last about 16 minutes before deployment into an initial orbit, followed by orbit-raising to geostationary altitude over the coming weeks.
  • Also referred to as GSAT-7R, the spacecraft is built primarily for the Indian Navy to replace GSAT-7 under a ₹1,589 crore contract signed in 2019.