Sriharikota, Oct 31:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its next-generation navigation satellite NVS-03 aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F18) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 11.51 pm on Friday. The satellite was precisely placed in its intended elliptical orbit, marking a significant step towards strengthening India’s indigenous Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan announced the successful launch and said the mission would take India closer to achieving the goal of ‘One Nation, One Time’.
NVS-03 is the third satellite in the second-generation NVS series and the 12th satellite of India’s Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
NavIC, India’s alternative to the American GPS, provides positioning, navigation and timing services across India and up to 1,500 km beyond its borders. The system caters to both civilian and strategic users.
NVS-03 carries an indigenous atomic clock alongside procured clocks, marking an important technological milestone in reducing India’s dependence on foreign components. The satellite also supports the L1 navigation signal, expanding its potential applications in smartphones, aviation, transportation and maritime services.
The launch assumes significance amid India’s growing strategic requirements, particularly following Operation Sindoor, during which ISRO deployed its satellite resources to support national requirements.