In a historic milestone, India’s space program achieved a new high as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its heaviest satellite on Sunday.
The CMS-03 communication satellite, was placed into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) at 5:26 pm, carried by the 43.5-metre-tall LVM3-M5 rocket, nicknamed ‘Bahubali’ for its remarkable heavy-lift capability.
Weighing 4,410 kg, CMS-03 is the heaviest communication satellite ever launched from Indian soil into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Designed for multi-band communication, it will enhance naval, air, and maritime networks, providing seamless connectivity across vast oceanic regions beyond India’s shores.
In a previous social media post, ISRO announced, 'Launch Day for LVM3M5. India's heavy-lift rocket is set to launch CMS03 today at 17:26 (5:26 pm).' The countdown of 24 hours started on Saturday. LVM-3, also known as Launch Vehicle Mark-3, is ISRO's new heavy-lift launch vehicle designed to place 4,000 kg spacecraft into the GTO efficiently, according to the agency.
The CMS-03 communication satellite, a multi-band satellite providing services over the Indian landmass and surrounding oceanic regions, was carried by the LVM3-M5 rocket. Previously, ISRO relied on France-based Arianespace to launch satellites over 4,000 kg. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan hailed the launch as “yet another pride” following the success of Chandrayaan-3.
The mission uses the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) M5, dubbed ‘Bahubali’ for its heavy-lift capabilities and also known as GSLV Mk III, which has a clean record, including Chandrayaan‑3’s lunar south pole landing in 2023. It features two S200 solid boosters, a liquid-fueled L110 core powered by Vikas engines, and a cryogenic C25 upper stage, enabling it to carry payloads of up to 4,000 kg to GTO and 8,000 kg to LEO.