ISRO to launch heaviest satellite on 'Bahubali' rocket today | 5 things to know

The communication satellite CMS-03 will be launched aboard the LVM3-M5 rocket, also dubbed ‘Bahubali’ for its heavylift capabilities.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its heaviest communication satellite – CMS-03 – on Sunday, it said. The satellite is the heaviest ever to be launched from Indian soil into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), PTI news agency reported.

The lift-off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota has been scheduled for 5:26 pm Sunday. (X/ @isro)

The spacecraft will be launched aboard the LVM3-M5 rocket, also dubbed ‘Bahubali’ for its heavy-lift capabilities. In a social media post on Sunday, ISRO said, “Countdown commences!! Final preparations complete and the countdown for LVM3-M5 (mission) has officially begun at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.”

In the update, ISRO further said, “All systems are GO as we move closer to liftoff!.” The lift-off has been scheduled for 5:26 pm Sunday.

LVM3-M5 rocket launch to space: Five points

1. The LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) is the new heavy-lift launch vehicle which will be used for placing CMS-03 – which weighs about 4,410 kg and is a a multi-band communication satellite – in GTO in a cost-effective manner, according to ISRO.
2. Ahead of the lift-off, the 43.5 metre tall LVM3-M5 rocket was fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft and later shifted to the second launch pad for undertaking pre-launch operations, PTI reported. The LVM3- is also termed as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) MkIII by ISRO scientists. The LVM3-M5 is the fifth operational flight, the space agency said.
3. The LVM3 is a three-stage launch vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons (S200), a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and a cryogenic stage (C25). The vehicle grants ISRO self-reliance in launching heavier communication satellites weighing up to 4,000 kg in GTO.
4. The mission objective for Sunday's launch is that the CMS-03 will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass, according to ISRO. While it has been speculated that the satellite’s applications include military surveillance, there has been no official word from ISRO on the matter.
5. The LVM3- rocket, whose previous mission was the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3, is also capable of carrying Low Earth Orbit payloads of 8,000 kg with its powerful cryogenic stage, according to the PTI report. The two S200 solid rocket boosters, developed at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, provide the thrust for its lift-off. The L110 Liquid Stage, which is the third stage, is powered by two Vikas engines designed and developed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.