Countdown progressing for ISRO’s crucial GSLV-F18 launch carrying navigation satellite NVS-03
ISRO has begun the 24-hour countdown for the GSLV-F18 launch, which will carry the NVS-03 navigation satellite into orbit. The mission features a unique engineering configuration with pyrotechnic valves pre-opened to prevent the connector failures that impacted the previous mission.
Why it matters
This mission is critical for maintaining and expanding India's NavIC navigation constellation, which provides essential positioning and timing services.
Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) The 24-hour countdown for the launch of India's next-generation navigation satellite, NVS-03, has commenced and is progressing, ISRO said on Friday (October 30, 2026). The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle carrying on board the GSLV-F18 rocket is scheduled to lift off at 11.51 p.m. on Friday (October 30, 2026) from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR). The countdown officially commenced at 11.51 p.m. on Thursday (October 29, 2026). GSLV-F18, India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle mission, will carry the NVS-03 navigation satellite. Launch: 30th October 2026, 23:51 hours IST Watch live: 30th October 2026, 23:20 hours IST onwards https://t.co/Mbllc4lcM2 Mission details: https://t.co/6YvrbYjFJI #GSLVF18 #NVS03 #ISRO #NavIC - ISRO (@isro) October 28, 2026 The 50-metre-tall, three-stage rocket with a lift-off mass of 420 tonne aims to deploy the 2,232 kg NVS-03 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
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