Heaviest communication satellite set for Nov 2 launch

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch CMS-03 or GSAT-7R, touted to be the heaviest communication satellite, on November 2.

The Rs 1,589-crore satellite for the Indian Navy will replace the existing GSAT-7. India’s Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) is scheduled to launch the communication satellite in its fifth operational flight.

“CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass. CMS-03, weighing about 4,400 kg, will be the heaviest communication satellite to be launched to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from the Indian soil. The previous mission of LVM3 launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission, where India became the first country to land successfully near the lunar south pole,” ISRO said.

CMS-03 will enhance India’s naval communication architecture and secure multi-band communications for the Navy’s blue-water operations by ensuring real-time coordination between ships and aircraft. With GSAT-7 having crossed its 10-year lifespan, CMS-03 will fill the gap.