ISRO Archives - National Times

24 Dec

India’s LVM3 Rocket Delivers Record-Breaking Commercial Satellite to Orbit

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Technology, TrendingISRO

Sriharikota (Rajeev Sharma): In a major boost to India’s commercial space launch profile, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Tuesday successfully placed the heaviest foreign satellite ever launched from Indian territory into orbit using its LVM3 rocket. The payload, BlueBird Block-2, tipped the scales at around 6,100 kilograms and was carried into Low Earth Orbit during the LVM3-M6 mission. Built by US-based AST SpaceMobile, the satellite is designed to provide direct space-based cellular broadband services to conventional mobile phones, a technology aimed at expanding connectivity beyond traditional ground networks. This mission was undertaken as a fully commercial launch, highlighting…

11 Nov

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Executes Critical Parachute Test for Gaganyaan Crew Module Module in Jhansi

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCrew Module, Gaganyaan, Human Spaceflight, ISRO, Jhansi, Parachute Test

Jhansi, November 11, 2025 — The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the successful completion of a crucial parachute test for its ambitious Gaganyaan mission. The trial, held on November 3 at the Babina Field Firing Range (BFFR) in Jhansi, marked another major step toward India’s first human spaceflight.According to ISRO, the test was part of the ongoing Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Tests (IMAT) designed to validate the safety and performance of the parachute system that will ensure the crew module’s safe landing. The Gaganyaan mission aims to send a three-member crew into space for a three-day mission and return…

02 Nov

ISRO Launches India’s Heaviest Naval Communication Satellite GSAT-7R

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiacommunication satellite, GSAT-7R, Indian Navy, ISRO, LVM3-M5, Sriharikota

Sriharikota, November 2 — The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday successfully launched the Indian Navy’s latest communication satellite, GSAT-7R (CMS-03), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The launch was carried out using the LVM3-M5 rocket the same vehicle that powered India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon’s south pole.Weighing nearly 4,400 kilograms, GSAT-7R is India’s heaviest communication satellite so far. Developed entirely with indigenous technology, it will enhance the Navy’s space-based communication and maritime surveillance systems. The satellite was placed in a geosynchronous transfer orbit and is designed to operate for 15 years.According to ISRO,…

30 Oct

ISRO to Launch Record-Breaking CMS-03 Satellite Aboard LVM3 Rocket on November 2

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaChandrayaan-3, CMS-03, Gaganyaan mission, Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, LVM3 rocket

Sriharikota, October 30: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to launch its most powerful communication satellite, CMS-03, aboard the LVM3 rocket on November 2. The launch marks the fifth operational mission of the LVM3 and adds another milestone to India’s CMS satellite series.According to ISRO, the CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite weighing 4,400 kg — the heaviest ever built and launched from Indian soil. It will be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) to provide enhanced communication coverage over the Indian subcontinent and surrounding oceanic regions.The LVM3, popularly known as the “Bahubali” of Indian rockets,…

09 Jun

Weather Delays Axiom-4 Launch: India’s Shubhanshu Shukla to Now Fly on June 11

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAxiom-4, Falcon 9, ISRO, ISS, Shubhanshu Shukla

National Times Bureau: The highly anticipated Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, set to make history with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becoming the first Indian to live and work aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed to June 11 at 5:30 PM IST due to adverse weather conditions. The launch, originally slated for June 10 and earlier delayed from June 8, will now proceed from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.This delay, though brief, underscores the mission’s strict safety protocols. ISRO confirmed the new schedule while emphasizing that crew welfare and optimal launch parameters remain…

08 Jun

NASA, ISRO to Launch Joint Private Space Mission with Indian Pilot on June 10

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTechnology, TrendingISRO, NASA

Washington DC/New Delhi (National Times): In a major milestone for international space collaboration, NASA and ISRO will jointly launch Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) on June 10, marking a historic step as Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla takes flight as the mission’s pilot. The mission, facilitated by Axiom Space, will be the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and will include astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. The mission is scheduled to lift off on Tuesday, June 10, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, the crew will ride…

18 May

ISRO’s Earth Observation Mission Fails After PSLV Anomaly, Third Such Setback Since 1993

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTechnologyEarth Observation Satellite, EOS-09, ISRO, PSLV-C61

Sriharikota, May 18, 2025: India’s trusted space workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), suffered a rare failure on Sunday when ISRO’s PSLV-C61 mission carrying the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-09 failed to reach orbit. The launch, which took place at 5:59 AM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, ended prematurely due to an anomaly during the third stage of flight—marking the third failure for PSLV in over three decades.ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that the issue stemmed from a sudden drop in chamber pressure in the third stage, causing the vehicle to deviate from its trajectory. Preliminary analysis suggests…