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New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, October 31, congratulated scientists and engineers of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) following the successful launch of the GSLV-F18 mission carrying NVS-03, India’s next-generation navigation satellite.
The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F18) lifted off at 11:51 PM IST on Friday, October 30, from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The rocket successfully placed the 2,232-kg NVS-03 satellite into its intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), marking another significant achievement for India’s space programme.
Congratulating the ISRO team, PM Modi highlighted the importance of the mission in strengthening India’s indigenous navigation capabilities and technological self-reliance. He said that equipped with enhanced capabilities, NVS-03 would further strengthen critical technologies and support navigation services benefiting people across the country. He also praised the dedication and ingenuity of India’s space scientists, saying their achievements continue to make the nation proud.
The mission marks the 20th flight of the GSLV launch vehicle and ISRO’s third space launch of 2026. NVS-03 is the third satellite in the second-generation NVS series, developed to strengthen the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), India’s independent regional satellite navigation system.
The satellite carries an indigenous atomic clock along with additional procured atomic clocks to support high-precision Position, Velocity and Timing (PVT) services. A major technological advancement is the inclusion of the civilian L1 navigation signal, alongside the existing L5 and S-band signals. This enhancement is expected to improve compatibility with widely used consumer navigation devices and mobile handsets.
NavIC provides positioning, navigation and timing services across the Indian mainland and extends approximately 1,500 kilometres beyond the country’s geographical boundaries, strengthening India’s strategic independence in satellite-based navigation.
Following its successful injection into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, NVS-03 will undergo a series of orbit-raising manoeuvres using its onboard liquid propulsion system before reaching its designated geosynchronous orbital position at 32.5 degrees East.
ISRO confirmed that the satellite’s solar arrays deployed successfully and its initial health parameters were found to be normal. The successful launch marks an important step towards completing the second-generation NavIC constellation, with the upcoming NVS-04 and NVS-05 missions expected to further enhance India’s regional navigation infrastructure.
