LVM3-M5 Launch Vehicle
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: IT
Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched India’s heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03 (GSAT-7R), aboard the LVM3-M5 rocket from Sriharikota.
About CMS-03 (GSAT-7R) Communication Satellite:
What it is?
• CMS-03, also known as GSAT-7R, is a next-generation multi-band communication satellite designed to enhance India’s secure and high-throughput communication capabilities over land and sea.
Developed by: Developed and launched by ISRO, with all stages and subsystems built using indigenous technology, under the Department of Space.
Aim: To provide reliable, high-capacity communication links for government, defence, maritime, and disaster management operations while expanding India’s digital and strategic communication footprint.
Key Features:
• Heaviest Indian-built satellite launched from Indian soil, weighing 4,410 kg.
• Multi-band payloads covering C, Ku, and Ka bands for versatile communication applications.
• Offers coverage across the Indian mainland and wide oceanic regions, supporting maritime connectivity.
• Equipped with 15-year mission life and high-throughput transponders for broadband and satellite internet services.
• Replaces the ageing GSAT-7 series, integrating advanced transponders for secure defence communications and future 5G applications.
About LVM3-M5 Launch Vehicle:
What it is?
• The Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3)—nicknamed “Baahubali” for its heavy-lift capability—is India’s most powerful three-stage rocket, capable of placing 4-tonne class satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Aim: To ensure complete self-reliance in launching heavy communication and deep-space satellites from Indian soil, eliminating dependence on foreign launch providers.
Key Features:
• Three-stage configuration: Two S200 solid boosters, one L110 liquid stage, and a C25 cryogenic upper stage.
• Heaviest launch vehicle (641 tonnes; 43.5 metres tall) capable of carrying 4,000 kg to GTO and 8,000 kg to LEO.
• Cryogenic re-ignition experiment successfully tested for future multi-satellite deployments.
• Indigenous cryogenic engine (C25) developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, enhancing payload efficiency by 10%.
• Proven reliability — eight consecutive successful missions, including Chandrayaan-3 (2023) and now CMS-03 (2025), solidifying its role as India’s heavy-lift workhorse and future Gaganyaan crew launcher.