ISRO Achieves Milestone with 100th Launch: GSLV-F15 Successfully Deploys NVS-02 Satellite

Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, January 29, 2025 - In a landmark event for India's space program, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its 100th mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The GSLV-F15 rocket, carrying the NVS-02 navigation satellite, lifted off at 6:23 AM, marking not only a significant milestone in the number of launches but also an enhancement to India's regional navigation capabilities.

Launch Details and Mission Success

The GSLV-F15, with its indigenous cryogenic stage, performed flawlessly, placing the NVS-02 satellite into the desired Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) approximately 19 minutes after liftoff. This mission was the 17th flight of the GSLV and the 11th with an indigenous cryogenic stage, showcasing the reliability and technological prowess of ISRO's launch vehicle program. 

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, in his first mission since taking office on January 13, expressed his delight at the success of the launch, stating, "I am extremely happy to announce from the spaceport of ISRO that the first launch of this year has been successfully accomplished with the GSLV-F15 precisely placing the NVS-02 satellite into the intended orbit." This was echoed in posts on X, where the space community celebrated this milestone.

NVS-02: Enhancing NavIC

The NVS-02 is part of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), India's independent regional navigation satellite system. This second-generation satellite, weighing around 2,250 kilograms, is designed to provide accurate Position, Velocity, and Timing (PVT) services to users in India and within a 1,500 km radius beyond its borders. It includes advanced features like L1 band signals for wider service coverage, and it carries both indigenous and procured atomic clocks for precise time estimation.

The satellite replaces the IRNSS-1E and aims to improve NavIC's services for various applications like navigation, precision agriculture, emergency services, fleet management, and mobile device location services. This launch increases the operational NavIC satellites to five, with plans for two more to complete the constellation.

Historical Context and Future Implications

This launch not only signifies ISRO's 100th mission from Sriharikota since the first launch of the Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3) on August 10, 1979, but also underscores the organization's growth from launching small experimental satellites to deploying sophisticated navigation systems. Over these launches, ISRO has placed 548 satellites into orbit, including 433 foreign satellites, totaling 120 tonnes of payload.

The success of the GSLV-F15/NVS-02 mission is seen as a stepping stone for ISRO's future endeavors, including the upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission, which involves complex docking technology, and the eventual manned Gaganyaan mission. Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, S Unnikrishnan Nair, optimistically remarked, "I am sure we can achieve the 200th mark faster because of the vibrant ecosystem."

Educational and Public Engagement

The launch was also an educational opportunity, with numerous students from across India witnessing the event firsthand. Their excitement was palpable, with one student, Teerth from Gujarat, telling ANI, "I came from my college to witness the 100th launch, I am really excited."

ISRO's success with NVS-02 is a testament to India's growing capabilities in space technology, promising not only enhanced navigational services but also an inspiration for future generations in the field of space exploration and science.