India’s Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) launches communication satellite CMS-03. Photo Credit: ISRO

India’s Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) launches communication satellite CMS-03. Photo Credit: ISRO
1 Opinion South and Central Asia Technology 

To The Stars And Beyond Is India’s ‘Spacious’ Naval Leap – OpEd

Commodore (Dr.) Johnson Odakkal, I.N. (Retd.) 0 Comments

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Looking up at the night sky, the sheer vastness of outer space has always stirred human curiosity. It’s a realm of limitless possibilities and uncharted frontiers. Once thought beyond reach, space is within the grasp of nations bold enough to dream and build.

For India, a civilization long fascinated by the cosmos, the recent launch of CMS-03 (GSAT-7R), aboard the indigenously built LVM 3 “Bahubali Rocket”, marks a significant moment in its journey towards infinity and beyond. The heaviest satellite ever launched by ISRO, in collaboration with the Indian Navy, this achievement is not just another step in space exploration, rather, it’s a leap that expands India’s presence from the seas to the stars. 

A New Beacon in Orbit

CMS-03 (GSAT-7R) is an indigenously designed and developed satellite, echoing the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It is a secure, high-capacity, multi-band military communication satellite, built especially for the Indian Navy. Designed for a mission life of at least fifteen years, it will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass, serving both civilian and strategic users. It will cover a vast region spanning from the Eastern African coast to the Malacca Strait.

The GSAT-7R is set to replace the GSAT-7 (Rukmini) satellite, which has been serving the Indian Navy since 2013. However, as the Indian Navy’s outlook and operations started covering distances farther out in the Indian Ocean, the GSAT-7’s coverage and capacity were deemed insufficient. In comparison, the GSAT-7R offers far stronger encryption and security.  What makes it unique from other satellites launched by ISRO are three reasons: The ISRO-NAVY collaboration which has highlighted its creation, the weight of the satellite itself being approximately 4400 kgs (making it the heaviest satellite launched to the GTO from the Indian Soil), and the successful testing of the C25 cryogenic engine’s thrust chamber in space. Hence, this move marks a forward leap in the Indian Navy’s space-based communications and maritime domain awareness. 

The Bahubali Factor: Powering the Leap

Adding to its glory is the rocket this satellite was launched in, i.e., the LVM3 rocket. Nicknamed “Bahubali” for its strength, the LVM3 has become a symbol of India’s heavy-lift capability. It is the country’s strongest launch vehicle, also utilized during the Chandrayan 3 mission, making India the first country to successfully land on the south pole of the moon. 

Journey to Geostationary Orbit 

Minutes after its launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Station (Sriharikota), the CMS-03 aboard the LVM3, in its M-5 mission, successfully entered the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), marking the success of its first step towards enabling communications. Due to the high mass of the GSAT-7R, the LVM3 targeted the standard GTO, instead of a higher energy GTO or a direct geostationary orbit (GEO) insertion profile that might be preferred for lighter payloads. Even before this stage, the rocket, if carrying a heavy satellite, enters into an elliptical transfer orbit or the sub GTO (sub–Geostationary Transfer Orbit) first, instead of directly into GTO (final position high above earth), due to the latter’s high fuel and power requirements. The rocket then drops into an oval shaped path around earth (kind of like a stretched circle).

When the satellite reaches the lowest point of its path (closest to earth), its own small engine called the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) takes over. This pushes the opposite side of the path higher, making the oval bigger. When the satellite is at the highest point, it fires its engine again. This second push smooths out the oval path into a near perfect circle. This process takes about 4 to 7 days, with small engine burns and careful adjustments each time. When it’s done, the satellite sits in a geostationary orbit (meaning it circles Earth at the same speed that Earth spins). Hence, if you looked up from the ground, the satellite would seem to stay in the same spot in the sky, even though it’s actually moving around Earth at thousands of kilometres per hour.

From Orbit to Ocean : CMS-03’s significance 

The GSAT-7R is built with advanced Indian made technology, ensuring a strong and secure communication coverage across the Indian Ocean. This satellite carries special equipment called transponders which allows smooth flow of data, audio, and video messages between ships, submarines, aircraft, command centers, and maritime operations centers, regardless of the distance.  The transponders will carry the data, voice, and video signals across the UHF, C, Ku, and Ka bands, helping to strengthen telecom and broadcasting networks. This will improve bandwidth access to remote areas and key support services like disaster management, telecommunication, and telemedicine. Commanders at sea can make real time operational decisions due to its faster, encrypted, secure data and imagery links. This will especially be useful in tracking down pirates, hostile warships, supporting joint operations with aircraft and unmanned systems. It will ensure smooth connection between Indian naval assets, even amidst dispersion across larger distances. It also resists jamming or hacking attempts during conflicts. 

In addition to the security purposes, this satellite can also assist in disaster management, rescue operations, coastal and ocean monitoring, environmental observation, and even weather alerts. Linking itself with ISRO’s Oceansat and RISAT satellites, it can build an entire maritime awareness network in order to help in monitoring the seas. 

Towards an Integrated Defence Network

According to the Indian Navy, the successful launch of CMS-03 shows the progress India has made in independently growing space technology, and the commitment the country has towards protecting national interest at sea.  The  GSAT-7R strengthens India’s Defence Space Communications Network (DSCN) which keeps the armed forces connected through space. It also bolsters India’s move towards Integrated Theatre Commands where the Army, Navy, and Airforce operate jointly with shared information. A progressive step towards this would be the CMS-03 linking up with the future satellites for the Air Force (GSAT-7A) and Army (GSAT-7B), assisting all the three services in smooth data sharing. Hence, the creation and launching of the GSAT-7R opens a new chapter in the Indian Navy’s C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities. 

Aatmanirbharta in Action

In the words of ISRO Chairman V Narayanan, the LVM3-M5  mission is “a shining example of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-dependent India)”, considering that the agency has achieved full self-reliance in designing and launching heavy satellites. This statement becomes crucial in understanding that previously the heaviest satellites including the GSAT-11 (5,854 kg) and GSAT-24 (4,181 kg) were launched by a foreign agency, Arianespace, from the French Guiana. Additionally, GSAT-20 had used a SpaceX vehicle. Hence, the successful launch of CMS-03 portrays that India no longer needs to rely on foreign agencies for launching large GTO class satellites. 

Additionally, the successful launch of CMS-03 also reflects ISRO’S hallmark of curating and succeeding in cost effective missions. To exemplify, even after delivering similar performance and durability, its cost per kilogram is about six times lower than western programs like the USA’s  MUOS. 

Seas, Skies, and the Stars Ahead

The CMS-03 is the digital backbone of India’s modern Navy. It improves how ships, submarines, and aircraft stay connected, strengthening India’s ability to protect its oceans and respond to emergencies. It also proves that India can design, build, and launch advanced satellites entirely on its own, marking another proud step toward becoming a global space and maritime power. 

References

About Commodore (Dr.) Johnson Odakkal, I.N. (Retd.)

Commodore (Dr.) Johnson Odakkal is a maritime scholar, strategic affairs analyst, and Indian Navy veteran. He serves as Faculty of Global Politics and Theory of Knowledge at Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai, and Adjunct Faculty of Maritime and Strategic Studies at Naval War College, Goa.

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Commodore (Dr.) Johnson Odakkal, I.N. (Retd.)

Commodore (Dr.) Johnson Odakkal is a maritime scholar, strategic affairs analyst, and Indian Navy veteran. He serves as Faculty of Global Politics and Theory of Knowledge at Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai, and Adjunct Faculty of Maritime and Strategic Studies at Naval War College, Goa.

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