ISRO Launches NVS-03 Navigation Satellite as NavIC Seeks Its Fourth Working Satellite
By Mike Wall · · TexaHub · Space, Regional Tech Ecosystems
India's GSLV-F18 rocket launched the NVS-03 navigation satellite on Oct. 30 and placed it in transfer orbit. NavIC has three fully working satellites and needs four to provide positioning services.
Launch From Sriharikota
The Indian Space Research Organisation launched the NVS-03 navigation satellite on a GSLV-F18 rocket at 23:51 India Standard Time on Oct. 30, 2026 (18:21 GMT), from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The mission was the 20th flight of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. [1] [2]
ISRO said the rocket placed NVS-03 into a geosynchronous transfer orbit of 170.3 km by 38,080 km. The agency announced the deployment on X about 30 minutes after liftoff. [2] [3]
First Orbit Raising
At 16:48 on Oct. 31, the satellite's liquid apogee motor fired for 2,174.8 seconds in the first planned orbit manoeuvre, raising the orbit to about 5,477.6 km by 37,833.4 km. ISRO reported that the satellite's health was normal after the burn. It plans further burns over the coming days to reach its geostationary slot at 111.75 degrees East. [2]
Restoring NavIC
NVS-03 is the third of ISRO's next-generation satellites for NavIC, India's regional counterpart to the US Global Positioning System. The NVS series is meant to keep navigation services running for the earlier IRNSS satellites. ISRO's launch brochure describes NavIC as a regional system serving users in India and a region extending about 1,500 km beyond the Indian landmass. [1] [3]
The satellite carries an indigenous atomic clock alongside procured atomic clocks. It also adds an L1 signal to the L5 and S-band signals that earlier NavIC satellites already broadcast. [1] [2]
According to Space.com, the constellation has three fully working satellites and needs four to provide positioning, navigation and timing services. That makes the satellite's commissioning and checkout phase, which follows the orbit-raising campaign, important for restoring the system's standalone service. [3]
Rocket Record
The launch was the 14th for the GSLV Mark II, a three-stage rocket 52 metres tall, and 12 of those 14 flights have succeeded. The Mark II debuted in 2010, the year its predecessor retired. The earlier Mark I flew six times, with two failures. [3]
NVS-03 was India's fourth launch of 2026 and the third flown by ISRO. Skyroot Aerospace flew the other one and in July became the first Indian company to reach orbit. [3]
Sources
[1] GSLV-F18/NVS-03 Mission — ISRO
[2] Orbit manoeuvring of NVS-03 spacecraft — ISRO
[3] India launches next-gen navigation satellite to orbit (video) — Space.com