In brief
Liable Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) took the NVS‑03 satellite into orbit on the GSLV‑F18 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the third in a series aimed at boosting Navigation with Indian Constellation. The flight marks India’s growing space capability and its move toward a sovereign GPS system. ISRO and government officials highlighted the achievement on social media, celebrating the successful placement of the satellite in its intended orbit.
At 11:51 p.m. local time on Friday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its next‑generation navigation satellite, NVS‑03, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The launch used the GSLV‑F18 rocket, the 20th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle system, and placed NVS‑03 into its designated orbit, ISRO confirmed in a post on X.
Officials said the satellite will join the Navigation with Indian Constellation system, providing continuous navigation services across India and boosting the country’s independent GPS capability.
ISRO praised the success, noting that “GSLV‑F18 has successfully placed NVS‑03 in the intended orbit. Congratulations,” the agency wrote.
Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh also congratulated the team on X, saying the mission “reflects India’s growing prowess in space technology and our commitment to strengthening sovereign indigenous navigation capabilities.”
With NVS‑03 now operational, India will have a more resilient and self‑reliant navigation infrastructure, lessening dependence on foreign GPS systems for civilian and defense applications.
