All about heaviest satellite to be launched from Indian soil by ISRO on homemade ‘Bahubali’ rocket today at 17.26 hrs
New Delhi: Sunday, November 2, 2025, is a special day in the history of Indian space exploration as ISRO will launch its heaviest satellite onboard an Indian rocket. The heavylift LVM3M5 vehicle will carry a 4,410 kg communication satellite to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Heaviest satellite to be launched from Indian soil
According to ISRO, this will be the heaviest satellite to be launched from Indian soil and into a GTO. Also, this is ISRO’s heaviest satellite to be launched using a home-made rocket. ISRO had previously launched its heaviest communication satellite, GSAT-11, weighing about 5,854 kg, on December 5, 2018, from the Kourou launch base in French Guiana by the Ariane-5 VA-246 rocket.
The CMS-03 satellite will travel onboard the 43.5 metre tall LVM3-M5 rocket, dubbed as ‘Bahubali’ for its heavy-lift capability.
Launch vehicle fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft
ISRO said that the launch vehicle has been fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft, and it has been moved to the second launch pad for taking up pre-launch operations.
In a social media update on Sunday, ISRO said, “Launch Day for LVM3M5. India’s heavy-lift rocket (to) launch CMS03 today at 17.26” hrs.
“The 24-hour Countdown (which began on Saturday at 5.26 pm) is progressing smoothly”, an ISRO official told PTI on Sunday, 02 November 2025.
Launch Vehicle Mark-3
LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) is the new heavy lift launch vehicle of ISRO and is used for placing 4,000 kg spacecraft in the GTO in a cost-effective manner, ISRO said.
“CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass,” ISRO said.
This three-stage launch vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and a cryogenic stage (C25) gives ISRO full self-reliance in launching heavier communication satellites that weigh up to 4,000 kg in GTO.
Fifth operational flight
The previous mission of the LVM-3 rocket was the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, wherein India became the first country to land successfully near the lunar South pole in 2023, according to ISRO.
The LVM3 rocket is capable of carrying a payload weighing 4,000 kg to GTO and for Low Earth Orbit payloads of 8,000 kg with its powerful cryogenic stage.
The two S200 solid rocket boosters located on the sides of the rocket provide the thrust required for liftoff. The S200 boosters are developed at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
The third stage is L110 Liquid Stage and is powered by two Vikas engines designed and developed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
(With PTI inputs)
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