ISRO's GSLV launches NVS-03 satellite, restoring NavIC to its minimum operational configuration

Indiarsquos regional navigation satellite system NavIC has been restored to its minimum operational configuration of four satellites after the Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO successfully launched its navigation satellite NVS03 on FridayThe secondgeneration satellite was placed into its designated injection orbit by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV Equipped with indigenous and procured atomic clocks NVS03 is expected to support a range of applications including realtime tracking of trains vehicles and shipping vesselsISRO Chairman V Narayanan said NavIC was a strategic national asset and an important component of the governmentrsquos ldquoone nation one timerdquo initiativeGSLVF18 completes 20th flightThe 50metretall GSLV rocket carrying NVS03 lifted off at 1151 pm from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre following a 24hour countdownAfter a flight of around 18 minutes the rocketrsquos three stages including its complex cryogenic upper stage performed successfully The satellite separated from the launch vehicle and was injected into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit GTONarayanan said all vehicle systems had performed as predicted and that the GSLV had precisely placed NVS03 into its designated orbit The mission was completed with a turnaround time of 56 days between successive GSLV launchesldquoThe NVS03 satellite mission has been accomplished with the least turnaround time of 56 days between successive GSLV missionsrdquo he saidNavIC services restored to minimum operational configurationNarayanan said three navigation satellites including NVS01 were already operational With NVS03 joining them the constellationrsquos Position Navigation and Timing PNT services have been restoredldquoNavIC Navigation with Indian Constellation is a strategic national asset which provides independent access to Position Navigation Timing services and it is also used for civilian applications like real time tracking of trains vehicles shipping vesselsrdquo he saidThe Indian navigation system often compared with GPS is designed to provide coverage across India and approximately 1500 km beyond the countryrsquos bordersThe constellation is also expected to strengthen infrastructure for Indian Standard Time IST following the governmentrsquos notification of the Legal Metrology Indian Standard Time Rules 2026Satellite to move to geosynchronous slotWeighing 2232 kg NVS03 is expected to use its onboard propulsion system to reach its final geosynchronous orbital slot at 325 degrees EastThe satellitersquos designated injection orbit has a planned perigee or closest point to Earth of 170 km and an apogee or farthest point of 37023 kmISRO said the satellite was launched with its pyrotechnic valves already open as an unprecedented measure to ensure the reliability of its propulsion system NVS03 features an indigenous Rubidium atomic clock and will transmit signals in the L1 L5 and S bandsNarayanan also said the EOS05 geoimaging satellite launched in September was functioning well with the space agency receiving ldquooutstandingrdquo dataISRO chief credits industry partnersNarayanan congratulated ISROrsquos team industrial partners and academia for the missionrsquos success He said nearly 80 per cent of the mission budget had been ldquopumped into the Indian industriesrdquoUnion Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh also congratulated the ISRO team on the successful GSLVF18NVS03 missionldquoThis remarkable achievement reflects Indiarsquos growing prowess in Space technology and our unwavering commitment to strengthening sovereign indigenous navigation capabilities With revolutionary Space reforms announced by PM Shri narendramodi ji in recent years Indiarsquos success stories in Space vindicate the dream of founding fathers Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan Today is the celebration of another proud moment for Indiardquo he said in a social media postWith inputs from PTI