ISRO's GSLV successfully deploys the NVS-03 satellite into its designated orbit.

India has successfully restored its independent regional navigation system, NavIC, to its minimum operational configuration of four satellites after ISRO launched the NVS-03 navigation satellite aboard its GSLV rocket on Friday. The satellite was successfully placed into its designated transfer orbit, marking another significant milestone in India's space programme.

The second-generation NVS-03 satellite is equipped with indigenous and procured atomic clocks and is designed to strengthen India's Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capabilities. Its applications include real-time tracking of trains, vehicles and ships, along with several other civilian and strategic uses. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan highlighted the importance of NavIC, describing it as a strategic national asset that ensures India's independent access to navigation and timing services. He also emphasised its role in the government's ambitious 'One Nation, One Time' initiative.

The 50-metre-tall GSLV rocket lifted off at 11:51 pm from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre after a 24-hour countdown. Approximately 18 minutes into the flight, all three stages, including the complex cryogenic upper stage, performed successfully, allowing the 2,232-kg NVS-03 satellite to separate from the launch vehicle and enter its Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

The satellite is expected to use its onboard propulsion system to reach its final geosynchronous orbital position at 32.5 degrees East. Its targeted transfer orbit has a perigee of 170 km and an apogee of 37,023 km. Featuring an indigenous Rubidium atomic clock, NVS-03 will transmit navigation signals across the L1, L5 and S bands, enhancing the reliability and coverage of India's regional navigation services.

Narayanan said that three navigation satellites, including NVS-01, were already operational and that the successful deployment of NVS-03 would strengthen the constellation and restore essential PNT services. He also noted that the mission was completed with a turnaround time of just 56 days between consecutive GSLV launches.

The ISRO chief congratulated the agency's scientists, industrial partners and academic institutions for their contribution, adding that nearly 80 per cent of the mission budget had gone to Indian industries. Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh congratulated the ISRO team, calling the achievement a reflection of India's growing capabilities in space technology and its commitment to developing independent navigation infrastructure.

He also credited the space-sector reforms introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi with helping accelerate India's achievements in space exploration. The successful NVS-03 mission marks an important step towards strengthening India's sovereign satellite navigation capabilities and improving the country's position in advanced space technology.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.