THE successful launch of the Navy’s advanced communication satellite GSAT-7R (CMS-03) marks another milestone for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in its quest for self-reliance in space technology.
It’s the first time ISRO has placed a communication satellite weighing over 4,000 kg into a distant geosynchronous transfer orbit from Indian soil. So far, it had to contract out the launch of its heavier satellites to private space agencies from other countries. The satellite – dubbed ‘Bahubali’ for its weight capacity – is indigenously designed and developed. ISRO used its most powerful rocket, the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3), a modified version of which will also be used under the Gaganyaan mission to put humans in space. The rocket’s payload capability was increased by 10 per cent compared to the previous LVM3 launch carrying the Chandrayaan 3.
The successful conduct of an in-orbit test of the indigenously developed C25 cryogenic stage is another breakthrough. It will serve as the upper stage in the LVM3, which uses the CE20 engine at present – showcasing ISRO’s advancing technological prowess. In charting a steady course toward self-sufficiency, India’s space programme is ensuring strategic autonomy in the development and deployment of a variety of applications, both for civilian and critical defence purposes. A pragmatic approach has ensured that the door is kept open for international cooperation, and domestic private sector engagement is enhanced.
ISRO is targeting seven more launches by March, but the centre of attention remains the first uncrewed mission of the Gaganyaan programme. It will send a robotic astronaut, named Vyommitra, into space. Three uncrewed missions are planned before sending astronauts as part of India’s human spaceflight programme. Building the ambitious Bharatiya Antariksha Station poses another challenge, but ISRO is relying on its core strength of thinking big and smart.