India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is gearing up for the launch of its most powerful naval communication satellite, CMS-03 (GSAT-7R), scheduled for 5:26 p.m. on Sunday. The mission will be carried out from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, marking ISRO’s fourth rocket launch of 2025.
Countdown Commences!
Final preparations complete and the countdown for #LVM3M5 has officially begun at SDSC-SHAR.
All systems are GO as we move closer to liftoff! ✨
For more Information Visithttps://t.co/yfpU5OTEc5 pic.twitter.com/6pPYS5rl9d
— ISRO (@isro) November 1, 2025
Weighing 4,400 kilograms, CMS-03 is designed to strengthen communication links across the Indian Navy’s ships, submarines, aircraft, and shore establishments. Once operational, the satellite will significantly enhance the Navy’s real-time connectivity and surveillance capabilities across India’s vast maritime zone.
The satellite will be launched aboard the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) — India’s most powerful rocket — in what will be its eighth mission. The LVM3, which has delivered a flawless record in all seven previous flights, will place the satellite into a preliminary orbit about 16 minutes after liftoff.
Over the following weeks, CMS-03 will be manoeuvred into its final geostationary orbit, positioned 36,000 kilometres above the equator, directly above India. From this vantage point, it will provide continuous coverage over one-third of the globe, focusing on the Indian Ocean region.
The CMS-03 replaces the GSAT-7, launched in 2013 aboard a European Ariane rocket, as ISRO then lacked the capability to launch such heavy payloads domestically. The successful deployment of CMS-03 aboard India’s own LVM3 marks a major technological milestone, reflecting ISRO’s growing self-reliance in high-capacity satellite launches.
This mission reinforces India’s strategic push toward indigenous defence and communication infrastructure, ensuring secure, uninterrupted links for the Navy’s expanding fleet and maritime operations.
