ISRO Makes History with Successful LVM3-M5 Mission: Bahubali Rocket Launches India’s Heaviest Communication Satellite CMS-03

Published on November 02 , 2025

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Delhi, India

Overview of the LVM3-M5 Mission Launch

The LVM3-M5 mission lifted off successfully on November 2, 2025, at 5:10 PM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, despite challenging weather conditions.
This marked the fifth operational flight of the LVM3 rocket, also dubbed “Bahubali” for its heavy-lift prowess, injecting the CMS-03 satellite precisely into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) within 20 minutes.
Mission objective: Deploy India’s heaviest homegrown communication satellite to enhance secure, multi-band connectivity over Indian oceans and landmass, replacing aging GSAT-7 series launched in 2013.
ISRO’s 100% success rate across all eight LVM3 flights underscores its reliability, building on triumphs like Chandrayaan-3 in 2023 and the Crew module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment in 2014.

Three-stage architecture: Two S200 solid motor strap-ons for initial thrust, L110 liquid core stage with twin Vikas engines, and indigenous C25 cryogenic upper stage for precise orbital insertion.
Payload capacity: Up to 4,000 kg to GTO and 8,000 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with a height of 43.5 meters—taller than a 14-storey building.
Fully indigenous development: S200 boosters from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Vikas engines from Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, eliminating foreign dependencies for heavy payloads.
Performance highlights: Achieved flawless separation sequences, with CMS-03 deployed at 179 km altitude, demonstrating superior accuracy in adverse weather.

Weighing 4,410 kg, CMS-03 is ISRO’s heaviest communication satellite launched from Indian soil, designed for a 15-year operational lifespan in multi-band frequencies.
Capabilities: Provides advanced secure communications for defense, including naval and army networks, covering vast oceanic regions for real-time data relay and surveillance.
Technological edge: Equipped with high-throughput transponders for broadband services, enabling encrypted voice, video, and data links critical for military operations.
Strategic importance: Enhances India’s maritime domain awareness, supporting operations in the Indian Ocean Region and reducing reliance on foreign satellites for defense connectivity.

Launch sequence: Eight critical events unfolded seamlessly, from strap-on ignition to cryogenic stage burnout, culminating in satellite separation and solar panel deployment confirmation.
Weather resilience: Despite uncooperative conditions, ground teams at Sriharikota ensured zero deviations, with real-time telemetry from Mission Control validating every parameter.
Post-injection phase: CMS-03’s health parameters nominal, with upcoming orbit-raising maneuvers using onboard thrusters to reach final geostationary slot.
Comparative success: Surpasses previous LVM3 payloads like Chandrayaan-3’s 3,841 kg lander, affirming ISRO’s evolution from foreign launches (e.g., GSAT-11’s 5,854 kg via Ariane-5 in 2018).

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan hailed the mission as a “shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” praising the team’s diligence in overcoming weather hurdles.
Narayanan described LVM3 as “Bahubali” for its unmatched heavy-lift capability, injecting CMS-03 with pinpoint precision into the targeted orbit.
Team acknowledgments: Over 1,000 scientists and engineers contributed, with special nods to cryogenic stage developers for enabling self-reliant GTO insertions.
Broader pride: Officials linked the success to national milestones like Chandrayaan-3, boosting morale ahead of human spaceflight ambitions.

Self-reliance milestone: Ends dependence on foreign providers like Arianespace for satellites up to 4,000 kg, saving costs and accelerating deployment timelines.
Defense and commercial boost: Strengthens secure comms for armed forces while opening doors for ISRO’s launch services to international clients since 1999.
Pathway to Gaganyaan: Validates human-rated LVM3 (HRLV) for India’s crewed mission, with enhanced safety features tested in this flight.
Future horizon: Positions ISRO’s versatile fleet—PSLV for LEO, GSLV/LVM3 for GTO, SSLV for small sats—as a global competitor, targeting 20+ launches in 2026.