ISRO's Historic 100th Launch: GSLV-F15 Successfully Places NVS-02 in Orbit
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a historic milestone on Wednesday with the successful launch of the NVS-02 satellite, part of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) series. This marked ISRO's 100th satellite launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The GSLV-F15 rocket lifted off from the second launch pad at 6:23 am, carrying the 2,000 kg NVS-02 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit within 19 minutes of liftoff. This was the 17th flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle and its 11th mission using an indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage. Declaring the mission a success, ISRO chairman Dr. V. Narayanan stated, “The GSLV-F15 has placed NVS-02 in the intended orbit.”
The NVS-02 satellite, the second in the NVS series, is part of NavIC, India’s independent regional navigation system. NavIC provides accurate Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services across India and up to 1,500 km beyond its borders. It offers two types of services: Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and Restricted Service (RS). According to ISRO, NavIC ensures position accuracy better than 20 meters and timing accuracy better than 40 nanoseconds.
Following the launch of NVS-01 in May 2023, NVS-02 is equipped with advanced navigation payloads in L1, L5, and S bands, as well as a ranging payload in the C-band. NavIC’s applications span various domains, including terrestrial, aerial, and maritime navigation, precision agriculture, fleet management, geodetic surveying, IoT-based solutions, emergency response, and satellite orbit determination.
This launch highlights ISRO's remarkable progress since its first mission, SLV-E-01, in 1979 under the direction of space scientist and former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The SDSC has since conducted 99 launches, including 62 by PSLV, 16 by GSLV, and others by vehicles like LVM3 and ASLV.
ISRO is also advancing its capabilities by building a second spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, tailored for small satellite launches. This new location offers a direct trajectory toward the south, saving fuel compared to launches from Sriharikota. The Kulasekarapattinam spaceport is expected to become operational within two years, further enhancing India’s space exploration efforts.
