ISRO's GSLV-F18 rocket carrying the next-generation navigation satellite NVS-03 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 11.51 pm on Friday.
The 50-metre-tall, three-stage rocket, with a lift-off mass of 420 tonnes, took off from the second launch pad after a 24-hour countdown. It is carrying the 2,232-kg satellite, which is expected to be deployed into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) about 18 minutes and 40 seconds after liftoff.
The mission is ISRO's third space launch of 2026 and a key step in efforts to strengthen India's NavIC satellite navigation system.
NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India's indigenous alternative to the US GPS, Russia's GLONASS and China's BeiDou. It is designed to provide independent navigation services across India and the surrounding region.
According to ISRO, NVS-03 is the third satellite in the next-generation navigation satellite system, which is intended to ensure continuity of navigation services for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
“The satellite carries indigenous Atomic clock, along with the procured Atomic clocks.
It also includes L1 signal in addition to existing L5/S signals with coverage over India land mass and a region extending 1500 km around Indian geopolitical boundary,” it said.
NVS-03 is equipped with an indigenous atomic clock alongside procured atomic clocks. The addition of the L1 signal to the existing L5 and S-band signals is expected to enhance NavIC services.
After deployment, ISRO will use the satellite's onboard thrusters to raise it from the initial transfer orbit to its designated orbit.
(With inputs from PTI)
