ISRO to launch heaviest communication satellite CMS-03 onboard LVM3-M5

ISRO is set to launch its heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03, weighing 4,410 kg, onboard the LVM3-M5 rocket from Sriharikota on Sunday. The mission aims to provide multi-band communication services across India and nearby oceanic regions

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): ISRO’s over 4,000 kg communication satellite CMS-03 is all set to be launched from this space port on Sunday and the countdown is progressing.

The satellite, weighing about 4,410 kg, will be the heaviest to be launched from Indian soil and into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), the space agency said. The satellite will travel on board a LVM3-M5 rocket, dubbed ‘Bahubali’ for its heavy-lift capability.

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The launch vehicle has been fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft, and it has been moved to the second launch pad here for taking up pre-launch operations, the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency said on Saturday.

The 43.5 metre tall rocket, dubbed as ‘Bahubali’ for its ability to carry heavier payloads weighing up to 4,000 kg, is scheduled for a 5.26 pm liftoff on November 2. LVM3- (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) is the new heavy lift launch vehicle of ISRO and is used for placing 4,000 kg spacecraft in GTO in a cost-effective manner, ISRO said.

While it is being claimed that satellite’s applications include military surveillance, there has been no official word from ISRO on the matter. This three-stage launch vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110), and a cryogenic stage (C25) gives ISRO full self-reliance in launching heavier communication satellites that weigh up to 4,000 kg in GTO.

LVM3- is also termed by ISRO scientists as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk III. The LVM3-M5 is the fifth operational flight, ISRO said. The space agency had previously launched its heaviest communication satellite GSAT-11 on December 5, 2018, from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-246 rocket. Weighing about 5,854 kg, GSAT-11 is the heaviest satellite built by ISRO.

Sunday’s mission objective is that the CMS-03, a multi-band communication satellite, will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass, ISRO said. The previous mission of the LVM-3 rocket was the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, wherein India became the first country to land successfully near the lunar South pole in 2023, according to ISRO.

The LVM3 rocket is capable of carrying a payload to GTO weighing 4,000 kg and for Low Earth Orbit payloads of 8,000 kg with its powerful cryogenic stage. The two S200 solid rocket boosters located on the sides of the rocket provide the thrust required for liftoff. The S200 boosters are developed at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.

The third stage is the L110 Liquid Stage and is powered by two Vikas engines designed and developed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.