ISRO launches LVM3-M5 with CMS-03 satellite, bolstering India’s communication network
On November 2, 2025, ISRO successfully launched the LVM3-M5 rocket carrying CMS-03, India’s heaviest communication satellite, from Sriharikota. Weighing approximately 4,400 kg, CMS-03 was placed into geosynchronous transfer orbit to enhance India’s communication capabilities, especially for the Navy, expanding coverage over land and maritime regions.
ISRO marked a significant milestone by launching the LVM3-M5 rocket with the CMS-03 satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. CMS-03, also known as GSAT-7R, is the heaviest communication satellite launched from India, weighing around 4,400 kilograms. The satellite is equipped with multi-band payloads including C, Extended-C, and Ku bands, which will strengthen data links and extend communication coverage across the Indian subcontinent and maritime domains, particularly benefiting the Indian Navy's maritime communication network and domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region. The launch at 5:26 PM local time successfully placed the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, from where CMS-03 will maneuver into a geostationary orbit approximately 35,786 kilometers above Earth, enabling it to maintain a fixed position relative to the planet's surface. This mission supports and advances ISRO's legacy of enhancing India’s space-based communication infrastructure, following the operational successes of previous LVM3 flights and GSAT satellites. The LVM3-M5 rocket, also called ‘Bahubali’, took off from the Second Launch Pad, a facility that supports heavy launch vehicles and cryogenic propellant technologies, contributing to India’s growing capacity in space launches.
