How launch of ISRO’s heaviest satellite will boost India’s space-based military capability

Over two years after the Indian Spare Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark – III (LVM-3) successfully launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon, the rocket is back on track to put into orbit India’s heaviest satellite which primarily has military applications.

LVM-3 is scheduled to launch the CMS-03 communication satellite in its 5th operational flight on November 2. CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass.

Weighing about 4,400 kg, CMS-03 will be the heaviest communication satellite to be launched to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Indian soil, according to ISRO.

“The launch vehicle has been fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft and has been moved to the Launch Pad on October 26,” a statement issued by ISRO said. “The previous mission of LVM3 launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission, wherein, India became the first country to land successfully near the lunar south pole,” the statement added.

Propelled by two powerful S200 solid rocket boosters, the 43.5m tall rocket weighing 640 tonnes is capable of placing heavy four-tonne class satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbits or place payloads up to 8,000 kg in low earth orbits of 600 km.

LVM-3 is IRSO’s newest heavy launch vehicle that succeeds the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark – II, which can place 2250 kg satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbits or inject payloads up to 6,000 kg in low earth orbits.

The scheduled mission on November 2 will be the eighth flight of the LVM-3. Its space odyssey began on December 18, 2014, with the launch of the Crew Module Atmospheric Re‑entry Experiment. All six subsequent missions since then have been successful.

The rocket is also earmarked to launch crewed missions under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. According to available information, at least 17 flights of the LVM-3 are already scheduled or planned till 2034.

The CMS-03, which the latest rocket will launch, is a multi-band communication satellite developed by ISRO to provide telecommunication coverage across India and a vast oceanic region surrounding the subcontinent. Its payload includes transponders for voice, data and video links over C, extended C, and Ku bands.

Built primarily for the Indian Navy, the CMS-03, also referred to as GSAT-7R, is meant to replace the existing operational GSAT-7, a multi-band military communications satellite that has been operational since September 2013. The contract for the Rs 1,589 crore project was signed between ISRO and the Indian Navy in June 2019.

This satellite will significantly enhance connectivity, provide sharper and higher-capacity bandwidth and improve digital access to remote territories, facilitating both civilian agencies and strategic applications.

It will also help upgrade defence communications by providing secure and reliable voice, data and video transmission across different regions as well as enable secure communication links between naval ships, aircraft and shore based-installations.

Use of satellites received an impetus after the 1999 Kargil conflict, when the lack of indigenous capability was severely felt and India was saddled with outdated imagery of the war zone provided by certain foreign countries.

India presently operates nine satellites for defence purposes. Among them, two GSAT-7 and GSAT-7A are dedicated military satellites, while the rest like HySIS, CartoSat, EMISAT, RISAT and EOS, are dual purpose satellites. Six more satellites will have military applications planned for launch soon.

After the retirement of the Soviet-era MiG-25R tri-sonic high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft that the IAF operated from 1981 to 2006, India depends upon satellites for strategic reconnaissance and imagery. The satellites are supplemented at the tactical level by unmanned aerial vehicles and fighter aircraft equipped with externally mounted camera pods.

In India, the Defence Space Agency (DSA), a tri-services agency under the Integrated Defence Staff headquartered at Bengaluru, is responsible for operating satellites and conducting space-warfare, including research, threat assessment, anti-satellite programmes and doctrinal aspects.

India’s foray into using outer space for military purposes began with the ‘Space Based Surveillance Phase – I’ project, which was approved by the Vajpayee government in 2001. As a part of this, four satellites — Cartosat-2A, Cartosat-2B, EROS-B and RISAT-2 — were launched. Space Based Surveillance Phase – II was approved in 2013, which saw six satellites — Cartosat-2C, Cartosat-2D, Cartosat-3A, Cartosat-3B, Microsat-TD, RISAT-2A — being put in space, according to reports.

In October 2024, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved a proposal for the development, construction and launch of at least 52 satellites as a part of Space Based Surveillance Phase – III for round the clock, all weather reconnaissance and surveillance from space across land and sea domains, as well as enhance secure communications capability.

The project estimated to be worth Rs 26,968 crore will be supervised by the National Security Council Secretariat along with the DSA. ISRO will construct 21 satellites while the remaining 31 will be built by the private sector.