To overcome technical hurdles, ISRO flew NVS-03 satellite with pyro valves open: Narayanan
ISRO successfully launched the NVS-03 navigation satellite to restore the NavIC constellation. The mission utilized a modified configuration with pyro valves left open to bypass previous technical failures.
Why it matters
This mission is critical for India's indigenous satellite navigation capabilities and demonstrates ISRO's ability to troubleshoot and adapt complex aerospace systems.
Sriharikota ISRO chief V. Narayanan on Saturday (October 31, 2026) said that in order to ensure mission reliability and bypass previous technical hurdles, the NVS-03 satellite was operated with "three pyro valves open". Addressing the media at a post-launch press conference, Mr. Narayanan revealed that this bold technical decision was validated after rigorous vibration and shock testing by a national-level committee chaired by former ISRO chief Kiran Kumar. Pyro valves are crucial in spacecraft propulsion, and it may be recalled that the NVS-02 (launched in 2025), the second spacecraft in the NVS series, was a failure.
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