ISRO launches heaviest satellite from India in a show of growing autonomy

“For accomplishing this launch, the performance of the vehicle had to be improved in multiple directions, and its payload capacity had to be enhanced by 10%,” said ISRO Chairman V Narayanan after the launch at 1726 hours.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the successful launch, saying, “Our space sector continues to make us proud! Congratulations ISRO on the successful launch of India’s heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03. Powered by our space scientists, it is commendable how our space sector has become synonymous with excellence and innovation. Their successes have furthered national progress and empowered countless lives.”

Our space sector continues to make us proud!

Congratulations ISRO on the successful launch of India’s heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03.

Powered by our space scientists, it is commendable how our space sector has become synonymous with excellence and innovation. Their…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 2, 2025

Sunday’s launch is an important step towards reducing foreign dependence for space programmes, and bringing down costs of the upcoming missions. India’s future missions, including Gaganyaan or building of Bharat Antariksh Station, would involve sending very heavy payloads into space. The launch of CMS-03 is thus a demonstration of ISRO’s growing strategic autonomy and technological independence in executing more and more complex missions.

The CMS-03, a multiband communication satellite placed in the geosynchronous orbit from where it would appear stationary relative to Earth, is now the most advanced satellite serving the needs of the Indian Navy. Also known as the GSAT-7R, the CMS-03 is the replacement for GSAT-7 satellite, launched in 2013 on Ariane-5 rocket, which has reached the end of its lifespan.

“GSAT-7R will provide robust telecommunication coverage across the Indian Ocean Region. Its payload includes transponders capable of supporting voice, data, and video links over multiple communication bands. This satellite will significantly enhance connectivity with high-capacity bandwidth, enabling seamless and secure communication links between ships, aircraft, submarines, and Maritime Operations Centres of the Indian Navy,” said a Defence Ministry statement.

Narayanan said the CMS-03 was designed to provide communication services for at least 15 years. “The satellite incorporates a host of new technologies and is a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.

The ISRO chief said Sunday’s launch was also successful in carrying out another important experiment, which would be vital in future missions.

“For the first time, we have been able to reignite the thrust chamber of the indigenously developed C25 cryogenic stage of the rocket after injecting the satellite in its orbit. This opens the doors for restarting the cryogenic stage in future for enabling mission flexibility for placing multiple satellites in various orbits through this LVM3 rocket,” he said.

Narayanan said ISRO was targeting seven more launches by March next year. The next two launches, including one using the LVM3 rocket, are scheduled for December, he said.

He said work was going on in full swing for the first uncrewed mission of the Gaganyaan programme, which will send a robotic astronaut, called Vyommitra, into space. ISRO has planned three uncrewed missions before sending astronauts as part of India’s human spaceflight programme.

“The activities for the first uncrewed mission are progressing well. Most of the hardware has already reached Sriharikota (launch facility). The assembly activities are progressing well,” he said, without specifying the expected timeline for the launch.