Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): An ISRO heavy-lift rocket carrying the CMS-03 communication satellite, the heaviest payload for an Indian launch vehicle, successfully lifted off from the spaceport on Sunday. Following a 24-hour countdown, the 43.5-meter-tall rocket launched at the scheduled time of 5:26 PM from the second launch pad, located approximately 135 km from Chennai, leaving behind bright orange exhaust. The CMS-03 satellite, which is riding aboard the LVM3-M5 rocket, known as Bahubali for its heavy-lift capabilities, is expected to separate approximately 16-20 minutes after launch, reaching an altitude of about 180 km, according to ISRO.
This multi-band communication satellite is designed to provide services over an extensive oceanic area, including the Indian landmass, and marks the heaviest satellite launched from Indian soil into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Previously, ISRO has utilized the Kourou launch base in French Guiana for heavier satellite launches. In December 2018, ISRO successfully launched the GSAT-11 communication satellite from French Guiana, which weighed around 5,854 kg, making it the heaviest spacecraft developed by the agency. ISRO Chief V Narayanan announced the mission’s success and commended the team for overcoming challenging weather conditions.
He stated, “The CMS-03 satellite will provide communication services for at least 15 years and incorporates several new technologies, exemplifying Atmanirbhar Bharat.” He also noted that this mission will serve as a valuable experiment to gather data for future cryogenic stage operations, enhancing mission flexibility for deploying multiple satellites in different orbits using the Bahubali rocket LVM-3.