NVS-03 has reached its intended orbit, says ISRO

ISRO

The GSLV rocket carrying the next-gen navigation satellite NVS-03 lifts off from Sriharikota Spaceport. 18.46 minutes later, the GSLV-F18 is expected to place the NVS-03 satellite into the intended geosynchronous transfer orbit. Cryo-stage performance of GSLV rocket normal

ISRO

ISRO’s live coverage of the GSLV-F18/NVS-03 mission will begin at 11:20 pm IST on October 30, ahead of the scheduled 11:51 pm launch from Sriharikota.

ISRO’s NVS satellite launch programme has seen considerable gaps between missions. NVS-01 was launched in May 2023, followed by NVS-02 in January 2025, a gap of 19 months. The next satellite, NVS-03, is scheduled for launch in October 2026, nearly 20 months after its predecessor.

The pace of launches has also been affected by setbacks in ISRO’s broader mission programme. The space agency recorded three failures in six missions launched from Indian soil between January 2025 and January 2026, adding to the challenges of maintaining a steady launch schedule.

The United States operates the Global Positioning System (GPS), a satellite network that underpins a vast range of civilian, commercial and military activities across the world. While 24 satellites are considered sufficient to provide global coverage and optimal performance, the US maintains a larger constellation of at least 30 satellites. This additional capacity acts as a safety net, ensuring uninterrupted and reliable services even if some satellites malfunction or go out of service.

China, meanwhile, runs its own satellite-based navigation network, BeiDou, as an alternative to GPS and to meet its domestic and global positioning requirements. BeiDou’s global navigation services are designed around a constellation of 30 satellites, with estimates suggesting that approximately 35 satellites are currently in orbit.

Restoring NavIC to its minimum operational capacity would require ISRO to launch at least two more NVS-series satellites, NVS-04 and NVS-05, in addition to the existing NVS-01 and the upcoming NVS-03. These four satellites would form the minimum constellation needed to resume the system’s core navigation services. The launches would need to be carried out within a relatively short timeframe to ensure continuity.

However, four satellites would only meet the basic requirement. For greater reliability, stronger coverage and uninterrupted services, India would need additional backup satellites in orbit. This would mean building and maintaining a constellation of around six to seven NVS-series satellites to ensure the long-term stability of a regional navigation system like NavIC.

For NavIC’s core services to function effectively, at least four satellites are theoretically required. However, information shared by the Indian government indicates that only three of the constellation’s 11 satellites are currently capable of performing their primary functions.

These include first-generation satellites IRNSS-1B and IRNSS-1I, along with second-generation satellite NVS-01. IRNSS-1B has already exceeded its designed 10-year lifespan, making its continued operation uncertain, while IRNSS-1I could remain functional until around 2028. NVS-01, if it performs as intended, has at least another decade of service ahead. Meanwhile, NVS-02, launched in January 2025, was unable to raise its orbit after its onboard engines failed to fire, severely limiting its utility. As a result, NVS-01 is currently the only satellite that can be considered reliably operational over the long term.