Bengaluru: India successfully launched a new navigation satellite into orbit on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in its push for self-reliance in space-based positioning technologies. The satellite, NVS-02, was carried aboard the indigenous GSLV-F15 rocket, lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 6:23 a.m. IST (0053 GMT).
The launch bolsters India’s Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, an independent satellite-based positioning system designed to provide precise location services across India and its surrounding regions. NavIC, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is India’s answer to global satellite navigation systems such as the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), China’s BeiDou, the European Galileo, and Russia’s GLONASS.
A Key Step in India’s Space Ambitions
The successful deployment of NVS-02 marks ISRO’s 100th launch, reflecting India’s growing capabilities in the space sector. The country has been ramping up its space missions amid intensifying global competition, where nations are increasingly leveraging satellite networks for defense, communication, and economic applications.
Jitendra Singh, India’s Minister of Science and Technology, hailed the launch as a momentous achievement. “It’s a privilege to be associated with the Department of Space at the historic moment of this record feat,” he said.
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India Expanding Its Space Presence
According to industry data, the United States led global space activity in 2024 with 145 launches, largely driven by private sector powerhouse SpaceX. China followed with 68 launches. While India has traditionally played a smaller role, it is aggressively expanding its presence, with ISRO planning 30 missions by March 2025.
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The NVS-02 satellite is expected to enhance India’s navigation capabilities, particularly benefiting sectors such as transportation, defense, precision agriculture, and emergency response. As India continues to build on its space exploration goals, this launch underscores its commitment to technological advancement and strategic autonomy in satellite navigation.
