ISRO successfully launches GSLV-F18 carrying next-gen navigation satellite NVS-03

Mangalore Today News Network

Sriharikota, Oct 31, 2026: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its GSLV-F18 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 11.51 pm on Friday, placing the NVS-03 navigation satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

The satellite is the third in ISRO’s next-generation navigation satellite series, designed to ensure continuity of navigation services under the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), also known as NavIC.

Confirming the successful launch, ISRO said, "The GSLV F18 vehicle has successfully injected the NVS-03 satellite into its designated injection orbit. The GSLV F18-NVS03 mission has been successfully accomplished."

The rocket completed its approximately 18-minute flight, with all three stages, including the complex cryogenic upper stage, performing successfully. The satellite was subsequently separated from the launch vehicle and placed in its targeted orbit, with a perigee of 170 km and an apogee of 37,023 km.

NVS-03 carries an indigenous Rubidium atomic clock along with procured atomic clocks. It also features the L1 navigation signal in addition to the existing L5 and S-band signals, expanding coverage across India’s landmass and up to 1,500 km beyond its geopolitical boundaries.

The new satellite will strengthen the NavIC navigation system and complement other operational next-generation satellites, including NVS-01. It is expected to enhance India’s regional positioning, navigation and timing capabilities.

The mission is also significant in the context of the government’s recent notification of the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, aimed at strengthening the country’s timekeeping infrastructure.