ISRO Set To Launch India’s Heaviest Satellite CMS-03 From Sriharikota

ISRO Set To Launch India’s Heaviest Satellite CMS-03 From Sriharikota

India is gearing up for a landmark space mission as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) prepares to launch its heaviest satellite yet from home soil. The 4,410 kg multi-band communication satellite, CMS-03, is set to travel into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) aboard the LVM3-M5 rocket, marking a significant milestone for the country’s space program.

The CMS-03 satellite will be launched aboard the LVM3-M5 rocket, nicknamed “Bahubali” for its heavy lift capability. The 43.5-meter-tall launch vehicle has been fully assembled and mated with the satellite and moved to the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Launch Day for #LVM3M5. India’s heavy-lift rocket launches #CMS03 today at 17:26 IST.

Youtube URL: https://t.co/gFKB0A1GJE
🗓️  2 Nov 2025 (Sunday)
🕔  4:56 PM IST onwards

For more Information Visithttps://t.co/yfpU5OTEc5 pic.twitter.com/NB46ZT1Pwb

— ISRO (@isro) November 2, 2025

ISRO said that final preparations have been completed and the countdown for the LVM3-M5 mission has now officially begun, with all systems fully ready for launch. The launch is scheduled for 5:26 pm on November 2.

LVM3, also known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) MkIII, is ISRO’s new heavy-lift launch vehicle, capable of cost-effectively delivering satellites up to 4,000 kg into GTO.

This three-stage rocket, consisting of two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110), and a cryogenic stage (C25), has been developed entirely using indigenous technologies.

The LVM3 has an excellent track record, including its first developmental launch, the Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE), in 2014.

This will be the fifth operational flight of the LVM3-M5 vehicle. The rocket’s cryogenic stage enables it to deliver payloads up to 4,000 kg to GTO and up to 8,000 kg to low Earth orbit. A human-rated version of this rocket, the HRLV, is planned for ISRO’s ambitious Gaganyaan mission.

While CMS-03 will be India’s heaviest satellite to be launched from the country, ISRO previously launched its heaviest communications satellite, GSAT-11, weighing 5,854 kg, on an Ariane-5 rocket from French Guiana in 2018. The mission aims to provide multi-band communications services over the vast oceanic area, including the Indian landmass. NDTV