ISRO set for LVM3-M5 launch carrying heaviest Indian communication satellite CMS-03

India’s heaviest home-launched communication satellite, CMS-03, is ready for liftoff aboard ISRO’s LVM3-M5 rocket from Sriharikota, marking another milestone in India’s space journey.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch its fifth operational LVM3-M5 mission carrying the CMS-03 communication satellite from Sriharikota on November 2, 2025, at 5:26 p.m. The 24-hour countdown began on Saturday (November 1), marking the final stage of preparation for the liftoff.

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CMS-03, weighing 4,410 kilograms, is the heaviest satellite ever to be launched from Indian soil into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite aims to provide multi-band communication coverage across India and surrounding oceanic regions.

The LVM3 rocket, also known as ‘Bahubali’, is ISRO’s most powerful and cost-effective heavy-lift launcher. It stands 43.5 metres tall and features three stages, two solid strap-on boosters (S200), a liquid core stage (L110), and a cryogenic upper stage (C25), all developed indigenously. The mission marks the rocket’s fifth operational flight, following the success of Chandrayaan-3, which made India the first country to land near the lunar south pole in 2023.

ISRO noted that the LVM3 can carry 4,000 kg payloads to GTO and up to 8,000 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The S200 boosters, developed at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, provide the initial thrust for liftoff, while the Vikas engines in the L110 stage are developed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.

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The CMS-03 satellite will enhance India’s communication network by delivering improved connectivity and digital communication over land and sea. The LVM3’s indigenous cryogenic stage ensures self-reliance in launching heavy satellites without depending on foreign launchers.

The LVM3’s reliability track record remains unbroken since its first developmental flight in 2014. For India’s ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, a human-rated version of this vehicle, the HRLV, is also being developed.