NVS-03 Completes First Orbit-Raising Manoeuvre, Functioning Normally
ISRO’s navigation satellite has entered a higher orbit after its first manoeuvre and will undergo further operations to reach its designated geostationary orbit.
Isro’s navigation satellite NVS-03 has successfully completed its first orbit-raising manoeuvre, marking a key step towards reaching its designated geostationary orbit.
The GSLV-F18 launch vehicle placed the satellite in an initial orbit of 170.3 km x 38,080 km at 11.51 pm on October 30, 2026. The first orbit-raising manoeuvre was carried out at 4.48 pm on October 31, involving a 2,174.8-second burn of the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM).
Following the manoeuvre, NVS-03 is estimated to be in an orbit of 5,477.6 km x 37,833.4 km. Isro said the satellite was functioning normally and that further orbit-raising operations would be carried out in the coming days to place it in its designated geostationary orbit at 111.75 degrees East.
NVS-03 is the third satellite in Isro’s next-generation navigation satellite series. It is designed to ensure continuity and strengthen services provided by the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), popularly known as NavIC.
The satellite carries an indigenous atomic clock alongside procured clocks and introduces the L1 navigation signal in addition to the existing L5 and S-band signals. Its coverage will extend across the Indian landmass and up to 1,500 km beyond the country’s geographical boundaries, enhancing the availability and utility of NavIC services.
