India launches a huge military communications satellite to orbit using its most powerful rocket

India launched a huge and powerful communications satellite for its navy early Sunday morning (Nov. 2).

a large white rocket lifts off from its launch pad on a bright yellow plume from its engines. — India launched the powerful CMS-03 military communications satellite to orbit on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (Image credit: ISRO)

The spacecraft will eventually settle into geostationary orbit, a circular path that lies 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above Earth. At this altitude, orbital speed matches our planet's rotational speed, allowing spacecraft there to "hover" over one patch of Earth continuously.

Geostationary orbit is therefore a popular destination for spy satellites and communications craft like CMS-03. The new satellite will serve as a key link for the Indian Navy, taking this mantle from GSAT-7, which launched in 2013.

"With upgraded payloads, GSAT-7R or CMS-03 is designed to expand secure, multi-band communications for the Navy’s growing blue-water operations," the Times of India wrote. "CMS-03 will provide real-time communication for naval operations, air defence and strategic command control across a wide oceanic and terrestrial region."

long-distance view of a white rocket on a launch pad, surrounded by green trees and shrubs — An Indian LVM3 rocket on the pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre ahead of the planned launch of the CMS-03 military communications satellite. (Image credit: ISRO)

Sunday's launch was the eighth overall for the LVM3, which debuted in December 2014. The rocket's previous flight was in July 2023, when it successfully sent India's robotic Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon's south polar region.

The 143-foot-tall (43.5-meter-tall) LVM3 is India's most powerful rocket. It can haul 17,600 pounds (8,000 kgs) to low Earth orbit, according to its ISRO specifications page.

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Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.

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