ISRO Launches GSLV-F18 Carrying NVS-03 Navigation Satellite
· India · The Hindu, India Today, Hindustan Times
ISRO successfully launched the GSLV-F18 rocket carrying the 2,250-kg NVS-03 navigation satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 11:51 pm IST on October 30, 2026. The mission marks ISRO's third space launch of 2026 and aims to revive the ageing NavIC constellation, India's indigenous alternative to GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou. Around 18 minutes and 46 seconds after liftoff, the rocket is expected to deploy NVS-03 into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, after which onboard thrusters will raise it to its final orbit. NVS-03 carries an indigenous atomic clock alongside procured clocks and introduces the L1 signal to complement existing L5 and S-band signals for enhanced navigation services. The launch follows NVS-01 in May 2023 and NVS-02 in January 2025, bridging a 19-month gap between the first two satellites.
Why it matters
The NVS-03 launch strengthens India's independent navigation capability for civilian and strategic users across the region, reducing reliance on foreign systems. It advances the NavIC constellation's operational readiness for location-based services, timing and disaster management.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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