LVM3, India's heaviest launch vehicle, has been rolled out to its launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, completing the final phase of preparations for its upcoming mission.
The fully assembled rocket, carrying the CMS-03 communication satellite, was brought to the pad yesterday, Sunday, October 26, 2025, ahead of its scheduled November 2 launch.
Termed as LVM3-M5, this is India’s most powerful rocket till date, and will make its fifth operational flight. The mission's goal is to launch CMS-03, a cutting-edge multi-band communication satellite, into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Weighing about 4,400 kilograms, CMS-03 is set to become the heaviest communication satellite ever launched from Indian soil, India Today reports.
ISRO developed the satellite, which is intended to improve multi-band communication coverage across the Indian mainland and neighboring marine regions, offering better connectivity and bandwidth for civil, strategic, and maritime users.
Once operational, it would improve India's communication infrastructure and provide digital connectivity to remote areas.
The mission also demonstrates LVM3's increasing versatility and dependability as India's primary heavy-lift launcher. The vehicle previously made headlines in July 2023, when it successfully launched Chandrayaan-3, propelling India to become the first country to make a soft landing near the Moon's south pole.
Following that milestone, LVM3 has returned to its primary role in national and commercial satellite launches.
Pre-launch checkouts, fuelling, and final readiness rehearsals will take place over the coming days before the countdown begins.
